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 made this remark while serving as a member of the Texas House of Representatives.</p><p>"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," Talarico stated.</p><p>This resurfaced clip adds to Talarico's previous statements on issues related to gender, immigration, and law enforcement, which may affect his efforts to appeal to voters in a Republican-leaning Texas.</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 <i>It’s Perfectly Normal, Making a Baby, Own Your Period</i>, and <i>Puberty is Gross but Also Really Awesome</i>.</p><p>Similar concerns were raised in Kentucky, Oregon, and North Carolina. In Texas, state Rep. Matt Krause circulated a list of approximately 800 titles he deemed inappropriate for students, prompting backlash. 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>Krause requested that districts identify any books or content that contained sexually explicit images or graphic presentations of sexual behavior, as well as materials that might cause psychological distress based on race or sex.</p><p>In January 2022, several counties began reviewing their book collections, leading to the Granbury Independent School District removing 130 titles from its shelves. By July, the issue was addressed in the Texas Legislature through an "interim charge" from Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan, which called for lawmakers to examine state policy on curriculum and instructional materials in public schools.</p><p>Talarico, as part of the Committee on Public Education, received this charge but expressed reservations 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 materials.</p><p>Morath acknowledged that there were complaints substantiating issues in these areas but noted that he could not confirm that they were widespread. "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," Morath stated.</p><p>Despite the testimony, Talarico continued to challenge the notion that explicit materials in schools were prevalent, characterizing the concerns as a conspiracy theory. Following his remarks, parents voiced their opposition to his characterization, with one parent commenting, "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.</p>