On Wednesday Iowa House Republicans passed a bill that provides “transparency-after-it-is-taught” in education. Shortly after that, they killed an amendment offered by Rep. Sandy Salmon that addressed obscene materials and pornographic materials in schools and school libraries.
One of the arguments lawmakers have made is that these books are already prohibited from being in school libraries, according to Iowa Code 728. Keep in mind that Iowa Code 728.7 states:
These House Republicans are blaming county attorneys for refusing to prosecute or pursue charges. But county attorneys have told parents Iowa Code 728 is simply too vague for them to enforce against schools and teachers. We are in the process of reaching out to the Iowa County Attorney’s Association to obtain an official position on this.
But regardless, let’s say 728 does indeed already prohibit schools from providing obscene materials and pornographic materials in their libraries. Legislators know — know — that some schools are doing this.
And yet they have still voted to increase funding for schools and still passed the Education budget.
So, then, do they not see they are complicit in these schools breaking the law when some of the money the state is providing is going to buy these books that are illegally in schools?
Why are they voting to increase funding for schools that are violating state law?
For the record, Republican Representatives Mark Cisneros and Jeff Shipley were the only Republicans to vote against funding schools that are breaking current law, according to Iowa House Republicans.
