Just like their Puritan brethren, credited with banning the first book in 1637 in the U.S., Republicans in Texas have jumped into the business of book banning and censorship with both feet.  A San Antonio-area school district recently proactively pulled around 400 books from its shelves in response to a letter from GOP lawmaker Rep. Matt Krause, demanding schools statewide provide information on 850 books on his list for review. In a statement Tuesday, North East Independent School District (NEISD), one of the largest districts in the state said it was reviewing the books “out of an abundance of caution. “For us, this is not about politics or censorship, but rather about ensuring that parents choose what is appropriate for their minor children,” NEISD spokesperson Aubrey Chancellor wrote. Adding: “NEISD asked our staff to review books from the Krause list to ensure they did not have any obscene or vulgar material in them.” Read more