Statewide Iowa — Two Senate Republicans have called for felony charges against educators who provide books with passages they deem obscene.
Majority Leader Jack Whitver the top Republican in the Senate is expressing support for the governor’s plan for addressing parents’ concerns.
Governor Reynolds has proposed requiring lists of school books be posted online and requiring school officials to respond within 30 days to parents’ complaints about any book. Parents would have a final appeal heard by the State Board of Education. Whitver says that kind of transparency is a good step, to let parents address any concerns they may have.
Whitver made his comments this weekend during an appearance on “Iowa Press” on Iowa PBS. Last year, the legislature voted to end diversity plans in five Iowa districts which allowed school administrators to deny student transfer requests. This year, Governor Reynolds has enlarged her plan to give parents state money to cover enrollment in a private school. Democrats say public tax dollars should be spent on public, not private schools.
