AT A GLANCE
- New Braunfels ISD has removed, restricted, or “aged up” more than 1,500 books under Texas Senate Bill 13
- Memoirs by Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton were removed citing “adult content”
- More than 600 books were impacted in high schools, over 800 in middle schools, and about 60 in elementary schools
- Critics say the review is overly broad, sweeping in classics, memoirs, and widely taught literature
Obama, Bush, Clinton, Shakespeare, and More Removed as Texas District Overhauls School Libraries
NBISD book ban removes presidential memoirs and reshapes library access
According to PEN America, New Braunfels Independent School District has removed or restricted more than 1,500 books as part of a sweeping review tied to Texas Senate Bill 13, a 2025 law requiring school libraries to eliminate materials deemed “indecent,” “profane,” or “harmful.”
The removals include high profile political memoirs such as A Promised Land by former President Barack Obama, Becoming and The Light We Carry by former First Lady Michelle Obama, 41: A Portrait of My Father by George W. Bush, and My Life by Bill Clinton.
District officials reportedly cited “adult content” as the reasoning for pulling or restricting these titles.
Review Impacts Every Grade Level Across the District
The scope of the review has led to a major shift in library collections throughout the district. More than 600 titles were removed, restricted, or “aged up” in high schools. In middle schools, over 800 books were either removed or relocated to high school campuses. At the elementary level, approximately 60 titles were pulled from shelves.
Records show the review process has not been limited to a narrow set of materials. Books have been labeled with terms such as “Adult Tag,” “Weeded: SB13,” and “Move to 9 to 12,” reflecting a range of decisions including removal, relocation, and restricted access.
At one point, the district closed its secondary school libraries entirely while reviewing materials for compliance before reopening them following public backlash. The district has also said it used artificial intelligence to help identify books for review.
Memoirs, Biographies, and Public Figure Books Widely Affected
The list of impacted titles extends far beyond presidential memoirs. A wide range of biographies and autobiographies have been removed or restricted, including books by Malala Yousafzai, Prince Harry, Trevor Noah, Tina Fey, Matthew Perry, Britney Spears, and former San Antonio mayor Julian Castro.
Other notable titles include Born a Crime, Bossypants, Educated, The Woman in Me, Open, and I’m Glad My Mom Died, along with biographies of figures such as Muhammad Ali, Fred Rogers, and Neil Armstrong.
Even non traditional titles such as Marvel’s Greatest Comics, Star Wars Light of the Jedi, and editions of Guinness World Records were removed for being considered too “adult.”
Classic Literature Swept into Removals and Restrictions
The review has also impacted widely taught classic literature. Authors including William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, John Steinbeck, Homer, and Victor Hugo have had works removed, relocated, or restricted within the district.
Titles such as Pride and Prejudice, The Grapes of Wrath, and The Great Gatsby have been placed in restricted categories, sometimes only accessible to students enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) literature courses.
In middle schools, books like To Kill a Mockingbird, Animal Farm, and Romeo and Juliet were moved up to high school libraries. Elementary level removals included titles such as The Hound of the Baskervilles and StarTalk, along with children’s books flagged under SB 13 guidelines.
Critics say District is Overreaching
Critics argue the district’s approach suggests it is targeting books written for general or adult audiences, regardless of their educational or literary value. Because many memoirs, biographies, and classic works fall into that category, the review has swept up a broad range of materials.
Jonathan Friedman of PEN America called the removals “overly aggressive,” saying they undermine education and limit students’ access to literature and history.
Parent advocates with the Texas Freedom to Read Project say the scale of the removals reflects a wider cultural and political battle playing out in public education, warning that restricting access to books narrows what students are allowed to learn.
Ongoing Review Leaves Hundreds of Books Unavailable
In addition to the books already removed or restricted, roughly 450 titles remain under review, meaning they are currently unavailable to students while the district determines whether they comply with SB 13.
As the review continues, the number of affected titles could grow, leaving ongoing questions about how far the law will reshape what students can access in Texas school libraries.
