For years, parents entrusted public schools with the education of their children, often with little visibility into what happened during the school day. That changed almost overnight in 2020. When COVID lockdowns turned living rooms into classrooms, millions of parents received an unfiltered look at what their children were being taught. What many witnessed fundamentally changed their trust in the public education system.

Some parents became concerned by lessons they viewed as politically or ideologically driven. Others questioned instructional materials, curriculum choices, or classroom discussions surrounding race, gender, and sexuality. Still others simply concluded that academic rigor had taken a back seat to social and cultural agendas. Whatever their individual concerns, one thing became clear: many families no longer viewed public schools the same way.

Here in Texas, the 2025 legislative session marked a historic turning point for school choice when the governor signed the Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) program into law. While the program represents a major shift in the state’s approach to education, it has also provided valuable insight into what Texas parents truly want for their children.

Much of the mainstream media coverage has focused on predictions of negative consequences, arguing that school choice will drain funding from public schools, reduce enrollment, and ultimately harm educational outcomes. Others have dismissed TEFA as a program designed primarily to benefit wealthy families.

The early data, however, tells a different story. Approximately four out of five TEFA recipients come from households earning less than $66,000 annually. Rather than demonstrating overwhelming demand from affluent families, the program’s rollout suggests that parents across a broad range of income levels are seeking greater control over their children’s education. More than anything, the early results indicate that Texas parents want the freedom to choose the educational environment they believe is best for their children.

We can try to simplify the problems in our schools to funding, which puts a nice, neat bow on the solution, but parents know the problems with our schools aren’t just one thing. Around the country, school districts spending up to double what Texas does per pupil do not always see better outcomes than Texas students. The media has worked hard to correlate the 76,000 student decline in enrollment for the 2026-2027 school year to things like funding and school choice. They neglect to ask the question of why so many parents fought for school choice: Why are parents wanting different choices for their kids? 

A surprise to no one who is paying attention, those critiquing the state of education in Texas fail to mention the rise in classroom discipline incidents, or the abysmal outcomes forcing the state to take over local ISDs, like Houston ISD. While crying for more funding for schools, they conveniently say nothing about the superintendents making more money than the President of the United States. Critics fail to ask whether teachers’ participation in walkouts and protests might be a factor in why parents are seeking a better alternative for their kids. The legacy media never mentions the intentional sexualization of children taking place through the choices made about books in our school libraries, or the teachers socially transitioning students, violating parental authority and consent. 

Through our work at Protecting Texas Children, we’ve spoken with parents across the state who are shocked by what they are finding in their local schools and libraries—even in small Texas communities. While some have stepped forward to speak at school board and city council meetings, many simply don’t know where to begin.

That’s why we launched Behind the Shelves: an initiative designed to equip parents with the tools and resources to identify and remove sexually explicit and age-inappropriate materials from school and public libraries. Our goal is simple: help parents understand what’s available in their local districts and empower them to take meaningful action.

Some families choose to protect their children by avoiding public libraries or withdrawing from public schools. Others choose to engage and advocate for the well-being of their entire community—even if they no longer have children in the school system.

We know parents are busy raising families, managing households, and serving their communities. That’s why we’ve made advocacy as straightforward as possible. Behind the Shelves provides access to more than 1,000 identified books found in Texas libraries, along with step-by-step resources and practical tools to help you make a difference in your own community.

Parents—not ZIP codes, school bureaucracies, or political agendas—should be in the driver’s seat of their child’s education. Every family deserves to know what their children are being taught, what materials they have access to, and how to make their voices heard. If you’re ready to become part of the solution, visit our website to learn more about Behind the Shelves and discover how you can help protect children in your own community.

By Ashley Armstead