Toss Them Books into the Fire

Iowa's Governor Kim Reynolds spearheaded an effort to get books she does not like taken off the shelves of public schools. The law made a general reference to books that had race, unfavorable history, trans and sex that must be removed. Local school staff make the decisions but, of course, there are bad consequences for the career of anyone guilty of breaking the law. Local newspapers have done many stories about books taken off the shelves and sometimes put back on the shelves. Books are banned in some school districts but OK in others. In today's statewide paper is a story about four books taken off the shelves in a suburb of Des Moine. The city is Johnston. Here is a tiny review of the four books:

Neither by Airlie Anderson. In this children's book a creature is not quite a bunny and not quite a bird. I suppose we cannot have a book about such uncertainty when God clearly made animals, man, males and females. If we start children thinking God might have been uncertain about this what might be the next uncertainty.

Indigenous America by Liam McDonald. McDonald assembles available information about how indigenous societies organized themselves and lived before the white man took over the land. A book like this no doubt will make it appear as though indigenous people were civilized and were not in need of European values and Christianity. 

The Founders Unmasked by Jennifer Sabin. This book shows that the founding fathers had motives other than establishing a "Christian Nation." It is well known the main motive that ran through all the efforts these men did was saving slavery and getting rich. If every child knew George Washington had a whiskey business they might want his picture taken down.

Johnny the Walrus by Matt Walsh. In this satire Johny the Walrus compares his life to being a trans human. Any discussion of trans must be banned no matter the context.

These books probably are approved for students in other districts. Also, a school official insisted these books are not "banned," they are only "removed" and further study is needed. 

Time is money and one wonders how much money is being spent by schools across this state in study, meetings and debate about these harmless books. While no district is absolutely certain it is complying with the law, Governor Reynolds says the law is working fine.