Lori Hines brought a pink sex toy with her to the Feb. 25 Leander school board meeting to make a point: Certain books are not appropriate for kids to read in school, she said.
The book at the heart of Hines’ complaint is "In the Dream House" by Carmen Maria Machado, an award-winning memoir that tells the story of Machado’s experience in an abusive relationship with an ex-girlfriend. Hines read several passages aloud, including one that referenced a sex toy, hence the prop, she said.
Hines is not the only parent in the district with concerns about the books that are available to students. Debate in the Leander district over which titles students should read comes as educators there and elsewhere are transforming reading lists to offer a more inclusive curriculum.