Allen ISD · Collin County · April 24, 2026
LION has formally delivered an Open Demand Letter to the Allen ISD Board of Trustees and Local School Library Advisory Council calling for an immediate 90-day postponement of all proposed 2026 library materials purchases. LION has flagged over 200 books across the district’s 818-title purchase list for review under Texas Penal Code §43.24, 13 Texas Administrative Code §4.2, and Allen ISD Board Policy EFA/EFA-R1.
Background
Allen ISD has proposed the purchase of 818 books across Elementary, Middle School, Lowery Freshman Center (9th grade), and Allen High School (10–12). The district opened a 30-day public review window ending May 3, 2026. The Board of Trustees is scheduled to vote on the purchase May 26, 2026.
LION has preliminarily flagged over 200 of those titles. Many contain content LION identifies as harmful to minors — including depictions of forced breeding of minors, child sexual abuse and trauma, and strongly negative Christian rhetoric. Several flagged books are extremely recent releases (some as late as March 2026) and have not yet received sufficient independent reviews.
Flagged Titles by School
| School | Preliminary # Flagged |
|---|---|
| Middle School | 79 |
| Lowery Freshman Center | 87 |
| Allen High School | 19 |
| Total | 185+ |
Compound Flags (Titles Carrying Both Categories)
| Flag Pair | # of Titles |
|---|---|
| Child Abuse/Trauma + Explicit Language or Age-Inappropriate Material | 48 |
| Child Abuse/Trauma + LGBTQ Promotion | 28 |
| Explicit Language or Age-Inappropriate Material + LGBTQ Promotion | 25 |
| Child Abuse/Trauma + DEI/Identity Politics Promotion | 22 |
| Rape/Sexual Violence + Child Abuse/Trauma | 21 |
LION has preliminarily flagged 50 book titles for containing child abuse or trauma content in the middle school list alone.
Specific Titles Cited as Examples
The Open Demand Letter cites three Lowery Freshman Center (9th grade) titles as concrete examples:
- Sisters in the Wind by Angeline Boulley (released September 2, 2025)
- The Danger of Small Things by Caryl Lewis (released March 24, 2026)
- Devils Like Us by L.T. Thompson (released June 3, 2025)
Statutory Violations Cited
LION’s letter identifies five categories of mandatory standards that Allen ISD is legally required to follow:
1. Texas Penal Code §43.24 — “Harmful Material.” LION states the flagged titles meet the three-prong test for material harmful to minors: dominant themes appealing to prurient interest, patent offensiveness to prevailing adult community standards regarding minors, and lack of redeeming social value for minor students. Specific content includes depictions of forced breeding of underage girls, prepubescent rape, systematic sexual exploitation and trafficking of underage girls, and child sexual abuse.
2. 13 TAC §4.2(b) — Age-Appropriateness. The state mandates that collections must be “age appropriate and suitable to the campus and students it serves.” Content involving forced breeding, child rape/abuse, religious trauma, and sexual or gender exploitation is not suitable for 14- and 15-year-old students at Lowery Freshman Center.
3. Pervasively Vulgar or Educationally Unsuitable Material. As permitted by the U.S. Supreme Court in Board of Education v. Pico, 457 U.S. 853 (1982), districts must exclude pervasively vulgar or educationally unsuitable material. These titles meet that standard.
4. Core Collection Goals and Negative Christian Rhetoric. Two of the titles cited (The Danger of Small Things and Devils Like Us) employ strongly negative Christian rhetoric, portraying Christian-linked authority figures and structures as tools of oppression, forced breeding, abuse, homophobia, and transphobia.
5. Parental Rights (EFA/EFA-R1). Allen ISD policy recognizes parents as the primary decision-makers for their own child’s access to materials. The current 30-day review window for 818 books undermines that authority.
The Demand
LION demands the Allen ISD Board of Trustees immediately postpone the adoption and purchase of all proposed 2026 library materials lists for a minimum of 90 days from the current May 26, 2026 Board meeting date. This delay will allow LION, parents, and the Local School Library Advisory Council sufficient time to complete the necessary individual reviews and ensure full compliance with 13 TAC §4.2, Texas Penal Code §43.24, and Allen ISD policy.
What You Can Do
1. Sign the Open Demand Letter. Add your name in support. Even residents who do not live in Allen still fund the district through state taxes.
2. Show up at the May 26 board meeting. 6:30 PM, 612 E. Bethany Drive, Allen TX. Public comment is allowed at the regular board meeting.
3. Email the Board of Trustees and Superintendent. Contact information is on the Allen ISD Board of Trustees page. Reference this demand letter and ask for postponement.
4. Share this report. Bring it to your church, your neighbors, your PTO, and friends with kids in the district.
Methodology
Source: Allen ISD’s published 2026 library materials proposal lists, public review window opened April 4, 2026. Statutory citations: Texas Penal Code §43.24; 13 Texas Administrative Code §4.2 (implementing HB 900, 88th Legislature, 2023); Allen ISD Board Policy EFA/EFA-R1; Board of Education v. Pico, 457 U.S. 853 (1982). LION’s flags reflect preliminary review of proposed titles against LION’s nine flag categories. Full review of each flagged title is in progress.
Do the Right Thing. Tell the Truth. Be Bold.
