Conroe ISD Removes ‘It’s Good to Be Quiet’ From School Curriculum After Parents Complain

Trustees of a school district north of Houston debated the appropriateness of It’s Good to Be Quiet, a 1999 coming-of-age novel that appeared on the New York Times bestseller list and was adapted late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning. into the film before ultimately deciding to remove it from the existing curriculum for sophomore English learners.

The Conroe ISD board’s decision, which voted to allow the critically acclaimed book to remain in its libraries but only at the high school level, was made following a complaint in May 2022 and a subsequent appeal by a parent who asked the district to ban it outright. Referring to topics such as drug and alcohol use and rape, the parent stated that it would “morally corrupt the minds of all who read the novel”.

The trustees’ ruling reversed a previous decision by the school district committee tasked with reviewing curriculum materials for legality and compliance with district policy, which ruled that the book should not be removed from libraries or the curriculum, but granted the complaint mother’s request that she didn’t leave. gave to her son. The committee also decided that the book should be donated to the Conroe High School Libraries if found in lower level collections.

In a 5-3 vote early Wednesday to uphold most of the committee’s decisions, the board also decided to reconsider whether prior parental consent is required before students can read The Benefits of Being Quiet, written by Stephen Chbosky and about the life of a freshman high school in the Pittsburgh area. At this time, Conroe ISD parents can complete a form to opt-out of certain books and other learning materials, while keeping all other content available to students.

Datren Williams, who was among the trustees who supported the board’s decision, noted that for the first time in 10 years on the board, he was commissioned to read a book to determine if it was appropriate for students. He said he wanted students to have access to all of the district’s books and that It’s Good to Be Quiet has value for Conroe students.

“Things described in this book continue (at Conroe High Schools), right?” Williams said. “… I think we have a classic case of situational ethics. In one sentence, we want parents to have a choice. We don’t want us to make decisions for parents. a solution for everyone.”

Serving more than 71,000 students on a total of 67 campuses, Conroe ISD has received nine book review requests since 2006, five of which have been submitted since December 2021, according to the website of Conroe ISD. the book was outright banned by the county last year when the Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas was removed from the Conroe school libraries.

“Ramona Blue” written by Julie Murphy is under county review.

Lawyer Jonathan Houlihan of the conservative group Citizens Defending Liberty, who represented the parent’s complaint at Tuesday’s board meeting, said Conroe ISD should ban “It’s good to be quiet” because it’s “pervasively vulgar” and has no educational value. Houlihan cited references to homosexuality, bestiality, and “men picking up boys” in the novel, as well as rape, alcohol, and drug use.

“How did this end up in our school system?” Houlihan said. “How can a grown man write such a book for your children?”

Robert Morris, an attorney representing the Conroe ISD review committee, said his decision to keep the book in circulation was reasonable, based on applicable laws and the County’s own policy, which states that no material “should be removed solely because of ideas, expressed in them. and that its libraries should “develop a balanced collection presenting multiple perspectives on controversial issues in order to develop critical thinking skills and encourage discussion based on rational analysis.”

Morris also disputed the claim that “The Perks of Being Quiet” could be considered harmful or obscene under the Texas Penal Code. He said that this usually refers to addictive material such as erotica or pornography, which is not the case for the book in question. He added that many of the scenarios described in the book are for teenagers.

“Today, there are students in this area who use drugs,” Morris said. “There are students in the area who drink alcohol. There are students in the area who smoke cigarettes. There are students in the area who have sex. and risk suicide.

“It’s good to be quiet” didn’t create that reality for your high school students in my opinion. But it reflects the reality in which your high school students live. If you were to reject this book because you think it is immoral or evil, you are sending a signal to a segment of your student population that is degrading to the reality they live in.”