Iowa GOP wants to control what every student reads

State Republican Sens. Jake Chapman and Brad Zahn must not want new teachers to begin careers in this state. How else do we interpret their stated desire to imprison teachers who cover LGBTQIA issues in public school classrooms?

Both men are ignorant about the First Amendment and how Iowa law defines obscenity. Worse, they represent people who abhor democracy and promote minority rule. The parents who complained about LGBTQIA materials in school libraries do not want to control their own children’s educations, they want to determine what every public school student is allowed to read.

Iowa legislative Republicans want to outlaw teaching which deviates from white supremacy and misogyny to protect the delicate sensibilities of constituents who refuse to acknowledge this country’s long history of racism, and who deny the basic humanity of LGBTQIA people.

The current legislative majority is turning Iowa into a backward-looking dictatorship. Thousands of us gathered in the Iowa Capitol to denounce the Iowa GOP’s attack on public-employee unions, and the GOP did not listen. Unlike supporters of the discredited, defeated, deeply corrupt Republican ex-president, we weren’t armed, we didn’t assault law enforcement, we didn’t trash our Capitol.

What will it take to stop the GOP’s march?

Jeff Klinzman

Coralville