A Texas school district has come under fire for removing the Bible from its libraries in compliance with a state law banning “sexually explicit” material. The decision has sparked widespread outrage and reignited debates over the role of religious texts in public education.

Canyon Independent School District Superintendent Darryl Flusche revealed in a leaked email that the Holy Bible was deemed unsuitable under House Bill 900, legislation passed in 2023 aimed at prohibiting sexually explicit or vulgar content in school materials. The law defines such material as any communication or depiction of sexual conduct that is “patently offensive” according to the Texas Penal Code.

While portions of the Bible remain available in the district’s libraries, the full text has been removed. Flusche assured parents that Canyon ISD has strong ties to local churches and is willing to provide Bibles to students upon request.

“We are more than willing to assist a student who would like access to a Bible by arranging this from one of our partnering churches,” Flusche stated in an email. He also encouraged parents to contact their state legislators about the law.

The decision has left many district parents stunned. At a school board meeting on December 9, Canyon ISD parent Regina Kiehne voiced her dismay, saying, “It seems absurd to me that the Good Book was thrown out with the bad books.”

Kiehne, a mother of two students in the district, emphasized the Bible’s importance in addressing societal issues and providing comfort to young people facing rising anxiety over school violence, inflation, and political uncertainty.

“In a day when we need security guards and bulletproof windows and doors, I think having the Word of God available to our children cannot only be preventative to violence but also provide comfort and a sense of security in a chaotic world,” Kiehne argued. She also highlighted the Bible’s historical, scientific, and cultural significance, calling it a “life-changing” resource.

This controversy reflects ongoing tensions in Texas over the presence of religious texts in public education. Some state lawmakers have advocated for measures to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms, citing their moral and historical value. However, such proposals have faced opposition from critics who believe they violate constitutional protections for religious freedom.

Supporters of keeping the Bible in schools argue that its inclusion fosters character development, critical thinking, and a deeper understanding of history and literature. They insist that access to the Bible does not endorse a particular religion but instead enriches students’ education.