The Katy Independent School District (ISD) in Texas has made headlines once again as five additional books have been banned, according to information gathered via a public information request obtained by the Houston Chronicle. This recent wave of prohibitions follows a controversial policy enacted in August 2023 which granted the district's board of trustees expanded authority to remove books from school libraries.

Among the banned titles are Teri Temple's "Ares: God of War," an illustrated children’s book detailing Greek mythology, and Brian Doyle's "Boy O Boy," a 2004 Canadian Library Association Book of the Year for Children. Both were deemed not suitable based on the district's standards for their respective audiences. Also removed was "The Almost Moon" by Alice Sebold, labeled for inadequate "circulation data," alongside Jessie Andrews’ “The Haters,” and “The Girl Guide: 50 Ways to Learn to Love your Changing Body," by Marawa Ibrahim, the latter found not in compliance with district policy.

In contrast, the Katy ISD board has recently taken steps to revise its previously rigid book policy, specifically addressing previous bans on books that displayed or implied nudity. Notable children's books such as "Draw Me a Star" by Eric Carle, and Dr. Seuss's "Wacky Wednesday" had fallen under the broad scope of the original ban. The updated policy aims to reintroduce such works to school libraries, while continuing to exclude books like "You Be You" by Jonathan Branfam due to its depictions of nudity, as reported by Houston Public Media.

"I am glad that we are taking the time to make sure that the clarification is there," Katy ISD Trustee Morgan Calhoun told Houston Public Media, referencing the amendments aimed at providing clearer guidelines for the policy's implementation. In the same vein, Katy ISD parent Anne Russey argued for considering the full context of each book and its intended audience, expressing a belief that older students could benefit from books addressing gender identity and sexual orientation, including those like "You Be You."