A couple of weeks ago, the Washington Post published a fascinating analysis of book challenges filed in school districts across the country.
The Post looked at challenges in more than 100 school districts in 37 states where local officials provided 1,065 challenges filed in their districts. Forty-three percent of the books challenged included LGBTQ characters or storylines and another 36 percent had characters of color dealing with issues of race. The No.1 reason books were challenged was “sexual” content, the post found.
That’s not surprising to anyone who has followed efforts here in Iowa by Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Republican Legislature to help parents who want certain books and materials removed from school libraries. Senate File 496, which Reynolds recently signed into law, directs districts to remove any books that include a depiction of a “sex act.” Books by LGBTQ authors and people of color have been top targets of conservative parents and groups, such as Moms for Liberty.
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But a second finding by The Post was more surprising. Two-thirds of all the challenges filed came from a small group of people who filed 10 or more challenges, dubbed “serial filers.” And just 11 serial filers filed more than half the challenges, including a guy who filed 92.
With Iowa’s new law requiring schools to be more transparent in providing information on library materials and processes for challenging books, it would be interesting to conduct a similar analysis here. Is this a broad concern among many parents or mainly an obsession for a small group of conservatives?
Well, trouble is, the new law was written in a way to thwart such an analysis.
Under the new law, “The identity of a parent or guardian who requests the removal of a book, article, outline, handout, video, or other educational material that is available to students in the classroom or in a library operated by the school district … shall be confidential and shall not be a public record subject to disclosure under chapter 22.”
Chapter 22 is Iowa’s open records law. But it won’t apply to the names of parents who challenge books.
This doesn’t make much sense if you believe the bill’s backers. Lawmakers insisted it will protect children and empower parents to exercise their rights. If that’s the case, why would parents not want the community to know they’re protecting children?
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Or maybe it’s because GOP lawmakers know book banning is unpopular. Also, the endless emphasis on book passages depicting sex is meant to cloak the real motive for removing books, and that’s to shield kids from reading about issues, experiences and worldviews conservatives don’t like. So book challengers get anonymity, making it tough to question their motives. It’s like donors to dark money groups blanketing Iowa with spurious TV ads at election time.
As someone who puts my name at the top of columns, I have little sympathy for anyone who wants to stir up a public debate but remain in the shadows. Confidentiality should have no place in a process that could affect public schools and students. Parents also should have a right to know who is seeking to remove books.
(319) 398-8262; todd.dorman@thegazette.com
www.thegazette.com
The Post looked at challenges in more than 100 school districts in 37 states where local officials provided 1,065 challenges filed in their districts. Forty-three percent of the books challenged included LGBTQ characters or storylines and another 36 percent had characters of color dealing with issues of race. The No.1 reason books were challenged was “sexual” content, the post found.
That’s not surprising to anyone who has followed efforts here in Iowa by Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Republican Legislature to help parents who want certain books and materials removed from school libraries. Senate File 496, which Reynolds recently signed into law, directs districts to remove any books that include a depiction of a “sex act.” Books by LGBTQ authors and people of color have been top targets of conservative parents and groups, such as Moms for Liberty.
Advertisement
But a second finding by The Post was more surprising. Two-thirds of all the challenges filed came from a small group of people who filed 10 or more challenges, dubbed “serial filers.” And just 11 serial filers filed more than half the challenges, including a guy who filed 92.
With Iowa’s new law requiring schools to be more transparent in providing information on library materials and processes for challenging books, it would be interesting to conduct a similar analysis here. Is this a broad concern among many parents or mainly an obsession for a small group of conservatives?
Well, trouble is, the new law was written in a way to thwart such an analysis.
Under the new law, “The identity of a parent or guardian who requests the removal of a book, article, outline, handout, video, or other educational material that is available to students in the classroom or in a library operated by the school district … shall be confidential and shall not be a public record subject to disclosure under chapter 22.”
Chapter 22 is Iowa’s open records law. But it won’t apply to the names of parents who challenge books.
This doesn’t make much sense if you believe the bill’s backers. Lawmakers insisted it will protect children and empower parents to exercise their rights. If that’s the case, why would parents not want the community to know they’re protecting children?
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Or maybe it’s because GOP lawmakers know book banning is unpopular. Also, the endless emphasis on book passages depicting sex is meant to cloak the real motive for removing books, and that’s to shield kids from reading about issues, experiences and worldviews conservatives don’t like. So book challengers get anonymity, making it tough to question their motives. It’s like donors to dark money groups blanketing Iowa with spurious TV ads at election time.
As someone who puts my name at the top of columns, I have little sympathy for anyone who wants to stir up a public debate but remain in the shadows. Confidentiality should have no place in a process that could affect public schools and students. Parents also should have a right to know who is seeking to remove books.
(319) 398-8262; todd.dorman@thegazette.com
Opinion: Who is challenging books? In Iowa, it will be a secret
FILE – Books are displayed at the Banned Book Library at American Stage in St. Petersburg, Fla., Feb. 18, 2023. …
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