Central Iowa school districts defend review process for controversial books

As Iowa Republicans consider proposals to require more stringent oversight of books available to public school students, Central Iowa school administrators defended their procedures to evaluate controversial library books.

The House Government Oversight Committee invited school district leaders from Carlisle, Carroll, Johnston, Urbandale, Waukee and West Des Moines to answer questions about their process to decide which books to allow in school libraries and classrooms.

Republican lawmakers asked why certain images or passages from books would be flagged by school computers or forbidden for a student to wear on a shirt, but those same images or passages would be permitted in the library.

Administrators responded that they're tasked with considering the value of books as a whole, including their artistic and educational value, not just certain explicit images or passages within.

"Context matters," said Jeff Hicks, president of the West Des Moines school board. "You can't take one picture, one image, out of context and say the entire thing is obscene."

Other district administrators noted they've had procedures to challenge books for years, and they have previously removed books from schools after parents raised a complaint.

"We have been kind of clumsy in the first implementation of them, because they have been around for a long time and were not in use," said Brad Buck, superintendent of Waukee Community School District.

Waukee removed "Gender Queer" from its high school library, and Buck said they've refined their process following that challenge.

Lisa Bartusek, executive director of the Iowa Association of School Boards, told lawmakers it's "hard work" to "weigh those competing voices and values and try to make a reasoned judgment" on whether books should be removed from the school library.

"One parent doesn't have the right — although they feel passionately and have a right to talk about (their) child's education and to be given choices in that — but they don't have the right to restrict what other parents want for their children," Bartusek said.

The meeting ended abruptly after a dispute between lawmakers. Democrat Rep. Sean Bagniewski of Des Moines compared the push for removing school library books to book burning in the 1960s.

"I'm going to be proud (of) where I was when we talk about this next round of book burning in this country," he said

In response, Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, R-Wilton, lambasted Bagniewski for laughing at "people that have serious concerns about the materials."

"Those of us that are here today are here for concerned parents," Kaufmann said.

Democrats halted the meeting to caucus for several minutes. When they returned, Republicans quickly adjourned.

"In the future, if any members of this committee's character or members of this committee who previously testified's character is impugned upon, as I believe it was, I will continue to push back against it," Kaufmann said in closing.

More:Kim Reynolds' bill: Library book 'removal list,' gender identity teaching ban. What to know

Monday's meeting comes amid a nationwide conservative fervor over what books should be available in schools.

Some Iowa parents, including local members of the conservative Moms for Liberty group, have been protesting for years over books that they say are inappropriate for minors.

At a Government Oversight Committee meeting in early February, several of the Moms for Liberty decried the current process to remove or restrict a book in public schools.

"The process is too subjective, too lengthy, and frankly, there are too many inappropriate books that need to be removed from our schools," said Pam Gronau, an Urbandale mother and legislation chair for the Polk County Moms for Liberty.

Gov. Kim Reynolds has been listening. In her proposed overhaul of Iowa's public school system, a book that is removed in one school district would be added to a statewide list of restricted books.

Students at all Iowa school districts would then be required to obtain written, parental consent before checking out that book — even if it was never challenged in their district.

But not all Iowa parents agree that there's an issue with books in public schools. House Democrats hosted a crowded Monday afternoon meeting with parents who said they value representation and diversity in school books.

"All children need to have access to books written from diverse perspectives to learn to honor and appreciate cultures, backgrounds and experiences that may be different from their own," said Jessica Parsons, a Des Moines mom and public school administrator.

Some mothers who spoke at the Democrats' meeting said they already have the ability to opt their children out of curriculum and ample oversight over what books their kids read. One high school student recalled reading and appreciating "Gender Queer," an LGBTQ graphic memoir that has been challenged in several Iowa school districts.

“I’m a more informed and empathetic person because of the books I’ve read," said Rebekah Schurz, a Carlisle junior. "I’m questioning, why would some parents and legislators want to rob me and other young people of the opportunity to learn more about ourselves?”

Lawmakers have been laser-focused this year on Iowa's education system, with an emphasis on what curriculum is appropriate for kids.

Reynolds proposed a bill to prohibit instruction on gender identity through third grade, and she told reporters Friday she would be "comfortable" extending that prohibition through sixth grade as a compromise with lawmakers.

Other proposals by Republican leadership would also restrict instruction on sexual orientation and require schools to post a complete list of classroom and library materials online to allow for parental review.

Katie Akin is a politics reporter for the Register. Reach her at kakin@registermedia.com or at 410-340-3440. Follow her on Twitter at @katie_akin.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa school admin defend approach to controversial books