Grapevine-Colleyville ISD postponed book fairs this week because a vendor could not provide a comprehensive list of books that would be available.
The district said Friday in a prepared statement that it requested to review the list of books 14 days in advance, but the vendor has not assured it could comply.
Book fairs were expected to begin later this month.
At book fairs in the spring, some books were “mis-merchandised by the vendor,” the district said in a statement. For example, an adult bestseller was placed on a middle school case.
Some parents told the district their children had purchased books the parents deemed were not age-appropriate, district spokeswoman Nicole Lyons said.
As a precaution, remaining book fairs last school year were canceled.
“We believe the book fair is a positive experience for students and will continue working to ensure that we have book fairs on our campuses,” the district said.
The postponement comes the same week Keller ISD pulled 41 books that were challenged by parents or community members last year — even though many of the titles already passed a review process.
Books included The Bible, Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye and a graphic novel adaptation of Anne Frank’s diary. Many of the titles also told the stories of LGBT and Black characters.
Keller school trustees adopted a new policy that requires every book that was previously challenged to be reconsidered.
