We don’t need your thought control: Public education should not be on the front lines

Jesse Hayes III loves to play video games and wants to become a game designer. The 14-year-old plays soccer and has a great sense of humor, but he is also gifted academically and does have a serious side. He peers through his black framed glasses “the career aptitude test keeps coming up for me as judge or public service.” Many who heard him speak Oct 1 at St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church would agree that becoming a judge would be an excellent occupation for the middle school student.

“I was kind of worried at first,” he said, describing the experience of speaking to 148 voters that packed the wooden church pews on a warm, sunny October day. Mid-Iowa Organizing Strategy (AMOS) held a forum to meet school board candidates and Des Moines Superintendent Dr. Ian Roberts. “I wasn’t sure what reaction I would get from my speech,” Hayes said.

His speech was met with applause and cheers from the crowded room. And other speakers discussed the real-life consequences of legislation passed this year.

It is not that public schools and their students have been caught in the crossfire of a culture war. They have been the deliberate target.

Teachers have had their expertise questioned and their ability to set curriculum stripped, while the schools they work for have had their funding siphoned into wealthier private schools that are exempt from similar limitations.

The first public school in America was founded in 1635, and the first schoolhouse in Iowa was built in 1830. It wasn’t until 1857 that education was made available to everyone, and even then, schools were still segregated. Quality public education helps society and benefits the economy of a state, so it is curious why our government is attacking public education on multiple fronts.

Iowa often cites the ‘first in the nation’ status of desegregating schools. But what has it done for equity in education post-1868? In the past year we saw book bans remove from library shelves literature that represents queer people and people of color, and multiple bills target transgender students. The year prior to that, it became illegal to teach any history that is ‘divisive’ (note: many events in our history are inherently divisive). Teaching history matters so we can learn from past failures, and we can only avoid future mistakes if we are taught accurate history.

And then there is the funding issue. Voucher funding funnels money away from already taxed public school budgets, and private schools have been shown to under-perform for students of color when it comes to test scores and graduation rates. Iowa’s law does not allow for transparency or accountability to ensure private schools are held to the same standards that public schools are, and that all students are equally set up for success. This occurred after multiple other financing changes in the past three decades that have made public school budgets be stretched even tighter.

While some calls for “parental rights” may seem like grassroots movements, most of the organization is done by large organizations from the East Coast and funded by billionaires.

To further compound these billionaire-funded and nationally orchestrated problems, school boards have now become the new bitter battlefield. And if you want to discuss culture wars, one of the biggest contributors to school board recall attempts to remove members is also a major funder to the organizers involved in the Jan. 6 2021 attack on the U.S. capitol.

Influential organizations are not solely located outside Iowa. But out-of-state contributions to the Iowa-based Family Leader Foundation more than doubled in 2021 compared to the previous few years. The organization claims to inspire the church to strengthen families, but it is very selective in the families it desires to strengthen. This year it is endorsing four conservative school board candidates in Johnston, a Des Moines suburb. These same candidates were registered for a float that blindsided students during the Johnston High School Homecoming parade. The float that surprised students and the community was a bright red jeep with large Trump flags perched at multiple angles from the rear. This float would have been denied, regardless of party, if it was accurately entered as a presidential candidate float.

Lya Williams is running for the Johnston School Board. As a Black woman, she is concerned about equity and making sure all students are heard and valued, but that is not her only focus. She wants to ensure students are prepared for real life, promote STEM opportunities, and support public school teachers and staff.

“We need to find a common goal and how to get to that goal together. When things are out of balance and we cannot work together, you are just pointing fingers at each other and not solving anything” And solving issues is important to the voters she talks to. They are worried about funding and the future existence of public schools. This fear is not limited to Johnston, it has been expressed across the state as well. In times of uncertainty, it helps to have knowledgeable people with perspective in places of power. “I feel like any board should be reflective of the population around it.”

Representation on school boards is increasingly important given the state laws that have gone into effect. Hayes worries about his education and about the state of our democracy. “They are trying to change what happened in the past – changing the story [by] rewriting it.” He stops fidgeting and solemnly locks eyes “They are ending peoples’ voices – anyone who isn’t in a political power – making them silent, making them a non-factor.” These laws have gone beyond being frustrating to those who desire accurate history and critical thinking to be taught in schools. Unfortunately, they already have been proven deadly. Hayes’ friend died by suicide earlier this year over fear of the school sharing their nickname with their parents. This child is not alone, and increased suicidality is but one reason why these types of laws have resulted in the declaration of a national state of emergency for LGBTQ+ Americans by Human Rights Watch.

Hayes has a message for voters this Nov 7. “Please understand this is not a game- you are not affecting anyone but the next generation. Please don’t mess this up for the rest of our lives.”

Chris Espersen is a Gazette editorial fellow. chris.espersen@thegazette.com