Iowa liberals are fighting a common-sense bill in the state that would threaten their control over the free thought and convictions of citizens and require schools to notify parents before teaching LGBTQ topics to children.
Republican lawmakers introduced House File 2201 in January. HF 2201 would require schools to notify parents each year regarding any kind of material that discusses gender or sexual orientation, giving them ample time and opportunity to inspect such material and decide whether to pull their children from certain classes.
According to CNN, the bill is one of over a dozen so-called “anti-LGBTQ” pieces of legislation recently introduced in the Iowa legislature.
Apparently, allowing parents, especially those with sincere convictions regarding God’s design for human sexuality, to be aware of what their children will learn in the schools they pay for is “anti-LGBTQ.” How insane!
“Because there are so many unknowns (with gender identity and sexual orientation), it just seemed like common sense to make sure parents are involved,” Rep. Jeff Shipley (R) told CNN, arguing that the bill is intended to foster cooperation between parents and schools rather than pushing parents to homeschool when the school will not cooperate. “Because when parents aren’t involved, they tend to get upset.”
“Parents have the right to know when it comes to a controversial issue what their children are being taught in schools they’re paying for,” Brad Cranston, a pastor in the state, told WHO-TV.
A nonprofit in the state, however, called the bill “harmful to LGBTQ Iowans.” In a statement regarding the bill in late January, One Iowa Action said that the bill would “restrict educators from discussing sexual orientation and gender identity.”
“The bill also would marginalize and discriminate against LGBTQ students by mandating that they and their sexual orientation or gender identity must be hidden and not discussed,” ACLU communications director Veronica Fowler said, according to CNN.
Critics of the bill have even complained that the bill would ban teachers from mentioning that 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg is gay.
“Teachers, rightly, have raised concerns about what would and would not need parental approval, citing examples as fundamental as whether or not they could mention that presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg is making history as an openly gay presidential candidate,” Fowler continued.
State Rep. Randy Salmon (R) said that teachers talking about Buttigieg’s candidacy “wouldn’t trigger notifying parents, but discussing his sexual orientation might.”
“The potential ramifications of these bills are mind-boggling,” columnist Rekha Basu wrote in a Des Moines Register op-ed. “Collectively, if they became law, they would have a draconian effect, subjecting LGBT people to hatred and discrimination or forcing them back into the closet.”
How telling is it that these folks feel so threatened by parents who want to have a say in their children’s education.
If you are an Iowan, reach out to your legislators and urge them to support HF 2201!
Allowing parents to discuss these topics with their children on their terms will force no one “back into the closet.” It will restore power to the parents who keep these schools going!
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