A single line in a children’s book about glitter led Alamo Heights ISD to cancel author Chris Barton’s visit, turning a planned reading for 1,600 students into a test case for Texas’ new education rules. District staff asked Barton not to discuss gender identity, sexual orientation, or the book containing an LGBTQ+ reference. When he declined, the event was called off.
Three parents emailed campus principals after noticing a line on page 33 mentioning some congregations mixing ashes and purple glitter to welcome “LGBTQ+” worshippers, according to the San Antonio Current. AHISD spokeswoman Julie Ann Matonis said the district cited a Texas Education Code prohibition and asked Barton not to refer to gender identity, sexual orientation, or the book. He refused. Matonis confirmed Barton had also planned to sell and sign five titles during his visit.
On his website, Barton wrote that Glitter Everywhere! was not one of the five titles the schools selected, but that he would have mentioned it if students asked about it during a Q&A. He said he would not “lie to children through omission.” Barton told the San Antonio Current he has visited hundreds of schools in 25 years and had never before been asked to avoid speaking about a specific work. He also noted that he recently presented Glitter Everywhere! to elementary students in another Texas district.
Law Changes How Districts Decide
Senate Bill 12 added Section 11.005 to the Texas Education Code, restricting diversity, equity and inclusion duties in K‑12 schools and limiting instruction or programming that addresses sexual orientation or gender identity. The bill took effect Sept. 1, 2025, as reflected in text posted by the Texas Legislature, and districts say the new rules have begun to reshape how routine school events are planned.
Legal Fight Already Underway
Civil-rights groups quickly sued to block parts of SB 12 as unconstitutional, and that litigation is now pending in federal court, a fight that could determine how strictly districts feel compelled to interpret the new language. Coverage in The Texas Tribune notes the case raises questions about whether factual references to LGBTQ+ people in classroom or library settings can be barred without clashing with First Amendment protections.
Community Reaction
In Alamo Heights, the fallout has been immediate, if not unanimous. Some parents say canceling the visit over a single line in a book feels disproportionate and sends the wrong message to students about open inquiry. Others argue the district is simply trying to stay on the safest possible side of a new and untested state law.
Local authors and educators warn that risk-averse readings of SB 12 could chill school visits, library events and classroom conversations that previously passed without controversy. What was once a straightforward way to get kids excited about reading now comes with legal fine print.
Author Background and Next Steps
Chris Barton lives in Austin and has written numerous picture books and nonfiction titles for young readers, according to his author profile at Penguin Random House. Barton said he could have completed the scheduled Alamo Heights readings without bringing up Glitter Everywhere!, but that doing so would have violated his principle of answering students’ questions honestly. For now, the visit is off, and the district and families are watching to see how similar complaints play out in other Texas communities.
The canceled appearance has become another example of how SB 12 is reshaping ordinary school programming. An author visit designed to spark a love of books instead turned into a real-time lesson in how districts are juggling legal risk, parental concerns and educational values.
