Texas Senate Candidate James Talarico Called Concerns Over School Materials a 'Conspiracy Theory'

James Talarico, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas, previously characterized public concern over explicit materials in Texas schools as a "conspiracy theory" during a July 2022 hearing on education. At the time, Talarico was serving as a member of the Texas House of Representatives.

"We’re going to spend hours hearing bills that are just kind of conspiracy theory-driven and kind of kooky stuff. And we’re going to hear some of that today, I think, in the public testimony — not the invited testimony, but the public testimony," Talarico stated during the hearing.

The resurfaced remarks add to a collection of past statements by Talarico on issues including gender, immigration, and law enforcement, potentially complicating his campaign's effort to appeal to a Republican-leaning electorate in Texas.

At the time of the 2022 hearing, numerous parents across the country were voicing objections to sexually explicit content, often bordering on pornography, being available in schools and libraries. Specific instances included concerns raised by parents in Ashland, Ohio, about graphic illustrations in books such as "It’s Perfectly Normal," "Making a Baby," "Own Your Period," and "Puberty is Gross but Also Really Awesome." Similar outcries were reported in Kentucky, Oregon, and North Carolina.

In Texas, State Rep. Matt Krause had previously drawn criticism for circulating a list of approximately 800 titles he deemed inappropriate for students, expressing his concerns in a letter to school districts. The Texas House Committee on General Investigation, chaired by Krause, stated its authority to initiate inquiries into matters concerning the "welfare and protection of state citizens."

By January 2022, several Texas counties began reviewing their book selections, with some districts, like Granbury Independent School District, removing numerous titles. The issue was brought before the Texas Legislature in July 2022 through an "interim charge" from then-House Speaker Dade Phelan, directing lawmakers to examine "state policy on curriculum and instructional materials used in public schools."

Talarico, as part of the Committee on Public Education, received this directive but voiced skepticism about the premise of the concerns, leading to his "conspiracy theory" comment. He questioned Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath about the presence of curriculum that "bullies students based on their race" or "grooms students with pornography."

Morath responded by acknowledging that while Texas is a large state and the issue complex, the agency had received complaints that appeared to substantiate "periodic problems in those areas." He noted that some materials made available to students could be considered inappropriate by the general public.

Despite Morath's testimony, Talarico reiterated his skepticism, stating, "I would characterize as a conspiracy theory that’s being raised is that these are systemic policy problems in the state of Texas."

Following Talarico's remarks, some parents expressed frustration with his characterization of their concerns. Talarico's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital regarding the resurfaced clip.