Des Moines, Iowa — Five women who say there are dozens of inappropriate books in their local schools are questioning the process of trying to require parental permission before students may have access to some school library books.
The women are members of a group called Moms for Liberty and they were invited to testify at a hearing in the Iowa Capitol Monday night. Amy Dea has challenged a book that’s been required reading in a Carroll High School class.
Pam Gronau says she believes 55 books in the Urbandale School Library contain obscene material.
House Government Oversight Committee chairwoman Brooke Boden, a Republican from Indianola, convened Monday night’s hearing. Boden says lawmakers need to make sure Iowa schools aren’t arming children with pornography.
Representative Lindsey James, a Democrat from Dubuque, says there’s been a reemergence of book challenges in public schools.
Representative Sean Bagniewski, a Democrat from Des Moines, says his constituents want lawmakers to focus issues like population loss and crumbling infrastructure.
HF 5, which is requires school districts to make public a prescribed process wherein parents can object to materials in the school library they find inappropriate, as well as routes of appeal should the parent not concur with the school district’s recommendation is under consideration in the State House, passed through subcommittee on a 2-1 vote on February 1st.
