~a column by Mary Weaver
“That doesn’t seem fair!” “That’s not right!” “He or she wasn’t dealt a good hand.”
There are times when unfair things happen. Rain doesn’t fall, the wind blows too hard. A nail is in the road, resulting in a flat tire. Sometimes we just must accept life events.
When purposeful decisions are made or actions withheld that further polarize our population, I want to don a black and white striped shirt and get a whistle. The whistle needs to be blown, as support is needed for our educators and school boards.
The Iowa Legislature and Governor Reynolds called Senate File 496 a parental rights law. The language includes requirements for schools to remove books depicting sexual acts, as well as restrictions on material and instruction related to gender identity and sexual orientation for K-6 grade students. It appears to me it was written to play to the conservative base and was purposely planned to be very vague.
I queried Representative Carter Nordman and State Senator Jesse Green regarding the Department of Education, lack of guidance to school districts, teachers, and librarians.
Nordman did not respond.
Senator Green responded, SF 496 requires schools to ensure that library books are age-appropriate, and specifies that this must not include any description or depiction of a sex act as defined in Iowa Code section 702.17. This code reference explicitly defines what is included, and therefore not appropriate. By plainly stating what is not age-appropriate, the law gives schools a baseline for library materials.
It is a given that none of us wants children to be exposed to pornographic materials.
The enforcement, effective Jan. 1, 2024, is vaguely threatening. The Department of Education (DOE)will be responsible for conducting investigations into complaints about school districts and staff violating the law. If the DoE investigation finds the district or employee violated the law, they will be issued a written warning for their first offense. The district or employee would be subject to a Board of Educational Examiners ethics investigation and potential disciplinary action for their second and any subsequent violations; but there are no standards or protocols currently identified regarding the DOE investigation. During the Aug. 3 State Board of Education meeting an indication was given the book review will be on a case-by-case basis.
I questioned Brett Abbott, superintendent of Greene County Community Schools, regarding book removal. His response, “We are going to follow the legislation as closely as possible and await more specific guidance from the Department of Education. As of right now, I will be sending out a note to teachers about self-removing books that may fit the definitions that are currently outlined in the newest legislative update.”
Annie Smith, principal of Paton-Churdan Community Schools, referred the same question to school superintendent Kreg Lensch. His response, “We are not receiving much direction from the Department of Education, so we will have to determine what we feel is age appropriate and treat things on a case-by-case basis.”
From the IOWA CAPITOL DISPTACH, regarding the Aug. 3 State Board of Education meeting, president John Robbins said, “People in the field I’ve talked with are hoping the DOE or somebody provides direction, because right now, we’re kind of either guessing what is right or wrong and[hopefully] not being in violation of the law”.
Senator Green’s response included, by plainly stating what is not age-appropriate, the law gives schools a baseline for library materials. The Department of Education has not released guidance to schools, because the bill does not charge them with that responsibility.
Margaret Buckton, a lobbyist with the Urban Education Network and Rural School Advocates of Iowa, told the State Board of Education at their meeting, “We are hearing some concerning things about schools potentially being too conservative in their interpretation, resulting in schools removing books that have an important impact on students’ development.”
To Brett and Annie, teachers, school librarians, and the school boards of Greene County and Paton-Churdan, I am sorry. I can only hope subsequent legislation will be passed to minimize this book banning distraction. There are numerous serious issues for the State of Iowa that need public policy review. We do not need book banning as a continued divisive wedge issue. I do not want to wear a black and white striped shirt, nor do I have a whistle.
Mary Weaver, writes VIEW FROM MY WINDOW, from her rural home near Rippey. She is the chair of the Iowa Women’s Democratic Caucus. Her three grandchildren attend public schools in Iowa.
