Reading Teacher Fearful of Keeping Classroom Library, as It Puts Her Job at Risk

For many, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives opened doors to opportunities they may not have otherwise had in the so-called land of the free. But since their dismantling under the Trump administration on the grounds that these programs “forced illegal and immoral discrimination,” things have shifted dramatically across both employment and education sectors.

One sixth-grade reading teacher in Texas is showing us exactly how this plays out, suggesting the rights of educators are literally being stripped away. While this may seem like a Texas-specific issue, similar situations are happening elsewhere.

According to @mjmarksthepage on TikTok, the librarian at her school is no longer allowed to buy books for the library. She also says she herself is restricted in what she can let her students read, putting her entire job at risk.

Big changes are happening in Texas schools, according to @mjmarksthepage, who’s a sixth-grade English teacher, and not too many people seem thrilled about it. Why?

Because these changes basically strip the knowledge and authority from educators who literally went to college to do their jobs.

A little while into her video, she reveals that her school librarian is no longer allowed to buy books for the library.

“I’m gonna take a sip and let that sink in for a minute,” she tells the camera, giving viewers a pause to really take that in. Instead, committees will meet twice a year where they will decide what books make it into the library.

OK, so the librarian no longer gets a say in what books kids can choose from. But that's only the beginning of it. She also says teachers are impacted by this change too because she can no longer have any books in her classroom library that support DEI; otherwise, she risks being terminated immediately.

Plus, parents now have the power to request that their child not be allowed to read specific titles. She used Diary of a Wimpy Kid as an example, and said that if a student whose parent banned it happens to pick it up, that could also cost her her job.

Now, middle school teachers see upward of 100 kids a day. Imagine trying to keep track of who reads what from the classroom library in addition to the teaching, grading, and everything else they’re expected to do.

If Jimmy can’t read Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Joe can’t read Harry Potter (that book is also on the lawmakers’ hit list), then the teacher has to basically run a check-in, check-out system to ensure no one grabs a book they aren’t supposed to have.

But the teacher says she doesn’t even have a checkout system, as her classroom library is simply there to get kids excited about reading during their free time. Tracking every single book would be next to impossible.

Now, she admits she’s too afraid to even keep a classroom library, worried that one mistake could cost her not just her job but also her future retirement. So, she’s packing up her books and taking them home, because at this point, it feels like the only logical (and safe) thing to do.