After outcry, Texas lieutenant governor says schools should teach Holocaust books

Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick clarified that his call to remove "dirty, filthy and vulgar books" from public schools was not intended to include Holocaust-related titles, despite an activist group's list he promoted featuring such books. Patrick stated, "I believe Texas students must learn about the Holocaust, and that includes reading books such as 'Night' by Elie Wiesel, 'The Diary of Anne Frank,' and other books about the Holocaust." This statement followed confusion and criticism after his initial directive, which threatened schools with funding loss for non-compliance. While he previously suggested "Night" was inappropriate for middle school due to violence, he now defers to the State Board of Education on its grade level. The Recover America group's list, which Patrick directed people to, includes numerous books on Jewish identity and the Holocaust, such as Art Spiegelman's "Maus" and Bernard Malamud's "The Fixer."