6 April 16 - 22, 2026 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents The Accessibility Problem Toon, who was herself incarcerated for nearly two decades, said organizations like Inside Books Project are critical for individ- uals whose families may not be able to afford gifts like books or who may not have family members. In addition to kneecapping donation- based literary circulation, Toon worries that barring used books from facilities will place a greater financial burden on families who want to continue providing their loved ones with reading materials. “When I was doing a college paper or a research project, [mailed or donated books] were supplemental materials that the Wind- ham Library may not have had,” Toon said. “I remember getting philosophy books, many of them were old textbooks that had been donated to Inside Book Project. So I got all of those for free or from my loved ones at a very discounted used book price. … Now that’s not possible.” While inmates have access to prison li- braries managed by the Windham School District, those books are subject to content restrictions. Just last year, The Texas Stan- dard reported that books like The Color Pur- ple, the Complete Guide to Photography and a Lenny Kravitz autobiography are among the more than 10,000 titles banned from TDCJ facilities. (Editor’s Note: One of the six reasons the TDCJ may restrict a book is for facilitating an escape, leading us to believe that Mr. Kravitz’s 1998 hit “Fly Away,” which reached No. 12 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and con- tains the crooning little earworm “I want to get away,” may have been used to justify the book’s blacklisting.) Toon noted that Windham has “made good strides” in relaxing its content restric- tion standards to ensure access in recent years. The Texas Standard reports that at least 100,000 titles have been approved since TDCJ reviewed its book ban policy in 2018. Inmates can also access books on digi- tal tablets, but each book costs money, and the tablets can be prohibitively expensive. Tightening the Reins, Again According to Hernandez, books, legal mail, religious mail and other “special cor- respondence” have tested positive for nar- cotics at an increasing rate since a 2023 effort to cut back on narcotic flow, Her- nandez said. Ultimately, though, the ban on hardcover and used books doesn’t rise to the level of the other challenges criminal justice advo- cates are fighting. One major priority has been the ongoing federal lawsuit that may force TDCJ to in- stall air conditioning across its facilities. During the last legislative session, LIONESS Justice Impacted Women Alliance advo- cated for a state law that ensures that access to higher education is overseen by the Windham School District. With those issues top of mind, stricter requirements for books are just another “burden” on inmates and their families, Toon said. “Yes, people still have access to books,” Toon said. “It’s almost a resigned [feeling]. The restrictions around mail and books — slowly the heat has been turned up, so peo- ple are just kind of resigned.” ▼ COLLEGE SPORTS YOUR SERVE, NCAA SMU TENNIS PLAYER FILES LAWSUIT, QUESTIONS ‘OBSOLETE’ AMATEURISM. BY AUSTIN WOOD A n SMU women’s tennis player is su- ing the NCAA in a case challenging the status quo of collegiate tennis eligibility rules. On April 1, attorneys representing SMU athlete Gina Feistel filed a request for in- junctive relief against the NCAA in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas in Dallas. Her attorneys allege Feistel was wrongly deemed ineligible for colle- giate competition under a tennis-specific rule protecting amateurism that, they say, has been rendered “obsolete” by the growth of name, image and likeness payments and the House v. NCAA revenue-sharing settlement, according to the filing. Feistel has competed in five matches for the Women’s Tennis Association, the highest international level of women’s tennis, finish- ing with a 4-1 record and over $8,000 in prize money, according to her WTA biography. She has also professionally competed in the Inter- national Tennis Federation, a lower level of professional competition than the WTA. Under the NCAA’s “20-year rule,” players lose eligibility following their 20th birthday for each year they participate in professional tennis competition before enrolling at their certifying institution. There are exemptions for athletes playing in professional matches deemed necessary to earn ranking points re- quired for selection to their respective na- tional team, and Feistel’s attorneys say her professional activity following her 20th birthday was approved by the Polish Tennis Association. According to the filing, Feistel’s eligibility was challenged after winning singles matches against Arizona and Baylor on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, respectively. She previously enrolled at Belmont University on a scholar- ship in 2022 and competed on the women’s tennis team before transferring to SMU, al- though documents do not clarify when she enrolled. Between competing for Belmont and SMU, Feistel completed community courses and studied at a university in Poland while traveling for competitions. In 2024, between her time at Belmont and SMU, Feistel rose as high as No. 149 in the WTA Singles Rankings. The filing alleges the NCAA is capri- ciously applying the 20-year rule to unrea- sonably restrict competition in the collegiate tennis labor market by not granting Feistel an exemption. That’s right: labor market. Her attorneys are arguing that college ath- letics have moved away from amateur com- petition with the advent of name, image and likeness payments in 2021 and the House v. NCAA ruling, which allows institutions to pay athletes directly. Amateurs No More? As the NIL era wears on, similar cases test- ing NCAA eligibility and prize money re- quirements are emerging as more professional athletes enter now-lucrative college competition. While he eventually dropped the lawsuit, Alabama basketball player Charles Bediako recently sued the NCAA for similar injunctive relief after his eligibility was revoked following his enroll- ment with prior professional experience. In women’s tennis, University of North Carolina star Reese Brantmeier has filed a lawsuit challenging the NCAA’s $10,000 cap on prize money won by athletes in WTA and ITF competitions. A finalized settlement in Brantheimer’s favor is expected later this month, overturning the cap and creating a $2 million fund for athletes affected by the rule in previous years, according to previous reporting by The Athletic. In an email, a spokesperson for SMU said that university officials are “aware of Gina Feistel’s decision to pursue legal action re- garding her eligibility” and “will continue to support Gina as a student-athlete while re- specting the legal process.” No further com- ment was provided on the lawsuit. Feistel’s attorneys, Jon Velie and Kurt Elieson, did not return a request for com- ment. They are seeking an injunction and a tem- porary restraining order against the NCAA to have her reinstated to the SMU women’s team. They are also seeking damages, with the filing alleging that the NCAA ruling has “tortiously interfere[d] with the plaintiff’s economic relations, including rankings, seed- ings, scholarship benefits, NIL opportunities and postseason participation.” The filing also states that the NCAA’s de- cision not to grant an exemption is “causing immediate and irreparable harm to Feistel’s ability to play in collegiate athletics, with her eligibility window closing in fall 2026. District Court Judge Keren Scholar set a preliminary hearing date on the injunction case for May 1, according to court filings. Feistel’s attorneys have demanded a jury trial. Unfair Park from p4 Illustration by Sarah Schumacher Texas hates when people get high, but the state is on its way toward legalizing ibogaine, a potent, potentially fatal hallucinogen. Jeffrey Beall The SMU campus in Dallas.
