Allen ISD · Collin County · April 27, 2026

Allen ISD responded to LION’s April 22 Open Demand Letter with an email that ultimately points everyone back to the district’s public input form. LION’s central demand — a 90-day postponement of the 818-book library materials purchase — was not addressed. The district’s 30-day public review window ends May 3, 2026 at 11:59 PM. The math shows that window is not workable for any parent.

The District’s Response

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On April 27, 2026, Allen ISD responded to LION’s April 22 Open Demand Letter. The district’s reply did not engage with the substance of the demand. It directed LION and the public back to the district’s existing public input form. The 90-day postponement was not granted. The 30-day window remains in place.

LION has flagged more than 200 titles on the proposed 818-book lists across Elementary, Middle School, Lowery Freshman Center, and Allen High School that raise serious questions under 13 Texas Administrative Code §4.2, Texas Penal Code §43.24, and Allen ISD Board Policy EFA/EFA-R1.

What 30 Days Actually Means for a Parent

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LION calculated what it would take for one dedicated parent to do a responsible job reviewing all 818 proposed books within Allen ISD’s 30-day window:

• Initial screening of all 818 proposed books: 136 hours and 20 minutes — more than 17 full 8-hour workdays.
• Reading professional and parent reviews for the roughly 200 flagged titles: 167 hours.
• Writing detailed content summaries for those 200 flagged titles: 250 hours.
• Filing formal complaints for contested books: 20 hours.

What This Means

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The current 30-day timeline makes meaningful parental review structurally impossible. The statutory public-input process required by SB 13 is rendered illusory when 818 titles — including books released as recently as March 2026 — are bundled into a single 30-day window.

LION sent a formal reply to Allen ISD on April 27 reiterating the demand: immediate postponement of all purchases for a minimum of 90 days. This extension is necessary so the Local School Library Advisory Council (LSLAC) can fulfill its legal duty to review the flagged titles for age-appropriateness and suitability — and so parents can actually participate as the law intends.

What You Can Do

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The public input period closes in less than one week.

1. Submit a comment to Allen ISD before May 3, 2026. The district’s public input form is at https://forms.gle/rZQmwmTJsuKJQt7q6.

2. Show up at the May 26 board meeting. 6:30 PM, 612 E. Bethany Drive, Allen TX. Public comment is allowed.

3. Sign the Open Demand Letter. Add your name in support. Even residents outside Allen still fund Texas public schools through state taxes.

4. Forward this report. Every Allen ISD parent, grandparent, and Texas taxpayer deserves to see the math.

Methodology

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Time estimates based on standard book-review research practice: 10 minutes per title for initial screening; 50 minutes per flagged title for review research; 75 minutes per flagged title for content summary; 1 hour per formal complaint. Calculations: 818 × 10/60 = 136.3 hours for screening. 200 × 50/60 = 167 hours for review research. 200 × 75/60 = 250 hours for content summaries. 20 hours for formal complaints. Total = 573 hours, rounded to 550–650 hour range.

Do the Right Thing. Tell the Truth. Be Bold.

Van Alstyne ISD · Grayson County · April 24, 2026

Van Alstyne ISD has demanded a $75 fee for the electronic export of its school library catalog — a record the district can generate from its existing software in minutes. LION contends the charge violates Texas Government Code §552.272, which prohibits fees for electronic records when no programming or data manipulation is required. LION has filed a formal complaint with the Texas Attorney General’s Open Records Division.

The Request

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On April 17, 2026, LION submitted a Texas Public Information Act request to Van Alstyne ISD for complete electronic exports of the full library catalogs at every campus: Partin Elementary, Sanford Elementary, Van Alstyne Middle, Junior High, and High School. The request also covered any tied curricula or recommended reading lists.

The District’s Response

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On April 20, 2026, Van Alstyne ISD responded with Invoice #JM-01: a flat $75 charge for “3 hours of labor.”

Why the Charge Violates Texas Law

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1. Texas Government Code §552.272 prohibits a public body from charging for electronic records when no programming or data manipulation is required to produce the record. A CSV export from existing software does not constitute programming or data manipulation.

2. The $25/hour rate exceeds the Texas Attorney General’s standard rate for public information labor. Even if labor charges were permissible, the rate cited in Invoice #JM-01 is above the schedule the Attorney General has published for such requests.

3. Texas Government Code §552.267 permits waiver of fees when production of the record is in the public interest. School library transparency is squarely in the public interest. Parents should not face financial barriers to reviewing what materials are available to their children at school.

What LION Did

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On April 23, 2026, LION sent a detailed follow-up to Van Alstyne ISD citing the specific statutes and documentation of the Surpass Cloud system’s export capability.

LION simultaneously filed a formal overcharge complaint with the Texas Attorney General’s Open Records Division. The complaint asks the Attorney General to find that Invoice #JM-01 violates §552.272 and to require Van Alstyne ISD to produce the requested records without charge.

What This Means

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When a public body charges residents to access records the law requires it to provide, oversight is the response. A $75 invoice for a one-click export is a deterrent. Apply that deterrent across every Texan asking about every district’s library catalog, and the public has been priced out of the public records law.

LION will report the outcome of the Attorney General’s review.

What You Can Do

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1. Attend Van Alstyne ISD Board of Trustees meetings. Meeting schedule and agendas are posted on the Van Alstyne ISD website.

2. Email the Superintendent and Board of Trustees. Ask whether the district has a written policy for electronic records production under the Texas Public Information Act, and what training records staff have received on PIA compliance.

3. Request your own records. If you have an outstanding question for Van Alstyne ISD, file a Public Information Act request yourself. If the district responds with excessive charges or improper denial, contact LION.

Methodology

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Source: LION Texas Public Information Act request submitted to Van Alstyne ISD April 17, 2026. Van Alstyne ISD response (Invoice #JM-01) received April 20, 2026. LION follow-up correspondence sent April 23, 2026. Texas Attorney General overcharge complaint filed April 23, 2026. Statutory citations: Texas Government Code §§552.267, 552.272. Surpass Cloud export functionality documented at the Surpass Software public knowledge base.

Do the Right Thing. Tell the Truth. Be Bold.

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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What You Can Do

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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

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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.

Allen ISD · Featured Book Breakdown · April 20, 2026

Sisters in the Wind by Angeline Boulley (released September 2, 2025) is one of 87 titles flagged by LION on Allen ISD’s proposed 2026 purchase list for the Lowery Freshman Center, which serves 14- and 15-year-old students. The book depicts the sexual exploitation, abuse, and trafficking of underage girls inside a foster care system. Below is the content LION identified during its preliminary review.

The Book

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Title: Sisters in the Wind
Author: Angeline Boulley
Released: September 2, 2025
Proposed for: Allen ISD Lowery Freshman Center (grade 9; ages 14–15)
LION flag categories: CSA, SV, CA, ACR

Documented Content

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• Lucy’s biological father (depicted as devout Catholic) repeatedly lies to her about her Ojibwe heritage, framing his faith-driven household as one that withholds truth and erases identity.
• After her father’s death, adoptive mother Bridget Mapother emotionally and physically abuses 14-year-old Lucy.
• In the Sterling foster home, birth son Steven sexually abuses his own 9-year-old sister Stacy and sexually assaults Lucy. The Sterling parents (depicted as devout Christians) cover it up and falsely accuse Lucy of drug possession when she confronts them.
• The Sterling family, portrayed as outwardly church-going Christians, plants a pipe bomb in a diner. The bomb injures Lucy and kills coworker Nancy. The Sterlings later kidnap Lucy’s toddler son Luke.
• At Hoppy Farm group home, the placement operates as an illegal “baby farm.” Foster teen boys are paid cash bounties for impregnating underage girls. The resulting babies are sold through illegal adoptions.
• One foster teen murders another (Lucy’s consensual partner and father of her child) to eliminate competition for the impregnation bounties.
• Lucy becomes pregnant while in the exploitative foster placement. The book frames the encounter at the baby farm as “young love.” She gives birth and surrenders the child for adoption.
• In the climax, the Sterlings use toddler Luke as bait, force Lucy into a rigged barn, and trigger an explosion. Mr. Sterling, the Christian foster father, holds Lucy and Luke at gunpoint and attempts to murder them.

The Religious Frame

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Christianity is consistently framed negatively throughout the novel. The Catholic biological father is depicted as hypocritical. The zealous Sterling foster parents use religion as a cover for abuse, cover-ups, and violent crime. No positive or redemptive Christian characters or institutions appear in the book.

What This Means

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What You Can Do

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1. Show up at the May 26 Allen ISD board meeting. 6:30 PM, 612 E. Bethany Drive, Allen TX. Public comment is allowed.

2. Email the Allen ISD Board of Trustees and Superintendent. Contact information is on the Allen ISD Board of Trustees page. Reference Sisters in the Wind by title.

3. Sign LION’s Open Demand Letter. Add your name to the call for a 90-day postponement of all 818 proposed titles.

Source: Direct review of Sisters in the Wind by Angeline Boulley. Title proposed on Allen ISD 2026 library materials purchase list for Lowery Freshman Center. Flag categories per LION’s 9-category framework. Preliminary tier: T1.

Do the Right Thing. Tell the Truth. Be Bold.