Gov. Abbott Orders Criminal Investigation Into Porn Or Obscene Content Exposure To Texas Students
AUSTIN (CBSDFW.COM) — Governor Greg Abbott has sent a letter to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) directing it to investigate any criminal activity in public schools involving the availability of "pornographic material that serves no educational purpose".
Last week Abbot sent a similar letter to the Texas Association of School Boards regarding preventing student access to inappropriate content in school libraries. The association responded by reminding the Governor that it had no regulatory authority over school districts. All this was around the same time CBS 11 News reported that a book with sexually explicit images and themes -- "Gender Queer: A Memoir" by Maia Kobabe -- was found in a Keller Independent School District school library.
In his letter Wednesday Abbott also directed the TEA to report any instance of pornography being provided to minors under the age of 18 for prosecution "to the fullest extent of the law". The memo comes after Abbott recently ordered that several agencies develop statewide standards to "ensure no child is exposed to pornography or other inappropriate content in a Texas public school".
"In Texas, it is illegal to provide pornography to anyone under the age of 18 according to Section 43.24 of the Texas Penal Code," reads the letter. "The fact that pornographic material that serves no educational purpose has been made available to students in Texas public schools is a clear violation of the law."
A number of lawmakers from North Texas are also taking action on what they deem to be inappropriate content in public schools. Republican State Representative Matt Krause, of Fort Worth, launched an inquiry into certain school districts over the types of books students should have access to -- it included a list of more than 800 books, including novels about racism and sexuality. And Rep. Jeff Cason of Bedford, has asked the Texas Attorney General to launch a statewide investigation into the novel sparking controversy in Keller, and others of similar content.
Click here to read the Governor Abbott's letter to the TEA in its entirety.