James Talarico's Past Comments on Explicit Material in Schools Resurface

<p>James Talarico, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas, previously referred to public concerns regarding explicit material in Texas public schools as a "conspiracy theory" during a July 2022 hearing on education. Talarico stated, "We’re going to spend hours hearing bills that are just kind of conspiracy theory-driven and kind of kooky stuff. And we’re going to hear some of that today, I think, in the public testimony — not the invited testimony, but the public testimony," while serving as a member of the Texas House of Representatives.</p><p>This resurfaced statement adds to Talarico's previous remarks on topics such as gender, immigration, and law enforcement, which may complicate his efforts to appeal to voters in Texas, a state that leans Republican.</p><p>At the time of the 2022 hearing, many parents expressed concerns about schools and libraries featuring explicit materials that some considered inappropriate. Notably, an Ashland, Ohio, board meeting gained attention when parents highlighted graphic illustrations from books such as "It’s Perfectly Normal," "Making a Baby," "Own Your Period," and "Puberty is Gross but Also Really Awesome," all of which contain sexual references.</p><p>Similar concerns were raised in states including Kentucky, Oregon, and North Carolina. In Texas, Republican state Rep. Matt Krause faced backlash after circulating a list of approximately 800 titles he deemed inappropriate for students. Krause, in a letter to Texas school districts, stated, "I am writing to you as the Chairman of the Texas House Committee on General Investigation. The committee may initiate inquiries concerning any ‘matter the committee considers necessary for the information of the legislature or for the welfare and protection of state citizens.’</p><p>He requested that districts identify any other books or content that might cause discomfort or distress among students based on their race or sex.</p><p>In January 2022, several school districts began reviewing their book collections, leading to the Granbury Independent School District removing 130 titles from their shelves. By July, the issue was brought before the Texas Legislature as part of an "interim charge" from Republican Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan, urging lawmakers to examine state policy on curriculum and instructional materials in public schools.</p><p>As a member of the Committee on Public Education, Talarico received this charge but expressed concerns about its implications, leading to his "conspiracy theory" comment. He later questioned Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath about the curriculum in Texas, specifically regarding critical race theory and explicit content.</p><p>Morath acknowledged that there are complaints substantiating issues related to these topics, although he could not confirm that they are widespread. He stated, "We have complaints that would appear to substantiate periodic problems in those areas, arguably. I can’t tell you it’s widespread. We’ve reviewed, in some cases, materials that were made available to students that I think the common citizen would agree would be inappropriate."</p><p>Despite the testimony, Talarico maintained that the notion of widespread explicit materials in schools is a conspiracy theory. Following his remarks, parents expressed their discontent with his characterization, with one parent remarking, "I actually drove in last night, so I’ve been here a very long time. And hopefully my comments and testimony today aren’t gonna be as ‘kooky’ as Representative Talarico had stated it was gonna be." Talarico’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.