Republican State Rep. Steve Holt provided strong closing comments in support of Governor Kim Reynolds’ school choice/transparency bill on Tuesday. Holt moved the bill out of subcommittee along with fellow Republican Rep. John Wills.
Holt said there is ample evidence that Iowans need school choice and transparency. He noted he “enthusiastically” supports the bill.
“Parents and children matter in this discussion, not the education establishment,” Holt said. “Having sat on Government Oversight, I can tell you that some schools have chosen in the state of Iowa to teach Marxist ideology to children, to destroy Dr. King’s vision from his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech and to teach hatred of our country. This is why we have school transparency in this bill and this is why we need greater school choice.
“Some public schools have taught elementary children sexually charged terms and have told them they could choose to be boys, girls, both or something else to the horror of many parents who reject these things being taught to their young children. This is why we need transparency and this is why we need school choice.
“Some schools have closed down in defiance of state law during COVID to the detriment of the children. This is why we need school choice.
“Some schools have chosen to embrace a book containing pornographic images so graphic that Google identifies this book as adult content and school boards refused to allow parents to read passages from some of these books because they’re so graphic, but yet these same school boards refuse to acknowledge that they are not age-appropriate and should not be in school libraries. This is why we need school transparency and that’s why we need school choice.
“My wife is a public school teacher. I would not support anything that will destroy public schools. However, the adamant opposition to this bill reflects a fear of competition that should be profoundly disturbing because it reflects, I think, the necessity that we get this done.”
