I am choosing to post this update on Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds’ book banning work in Iowa’s public schools. It is appropriate that I do this in large part because the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit began hearing arguments on whether, or not, to uphold a federal district court ruling that blocks several provisions of SF 496 — the bill banning books and educators’ communications with or instruction of students regarding gender identity and sexual orientation.
In December, Judge Stephen Locher presiding over the Federal District Court in Des Moines, issued a preliminary injunction against enforcement of both of the aforementioned provisions of the law. SF 496 was passed by Republicans in the Iowa General Assembly and signed by Governor Reynolds earlier in 2023. The Judge’s injunction was issued just days before the bill was to take effect on January 1, 2024.
However, as was noted in court at the time, hundreds of books had already been banned from dozens of Iowa school districts by the time the ruling was issued.
Three Thousand Four Hundred Books…
Wait, did I say hundreds? Well, that is an understatement of the first order.
As documented in ongoing research and reporting by the Des Moines Register — How the Des Moines Register has tracked banned books at Iowa's public schools (Opinion by Carol Hunter, Executive Editor of the Des Moines Register) that also links to a recent June 6, 2024 report by the Register’s Book Ban Battle project — Iowa book ban's toll: 3,400 pulled books, including '1984' and 'To Kill a Mockingbird' — as many as 3,400 books were banned by school districts in 2023 in an effort to comply with Governor Reynolds’ anti-education, anti-democracy legislative folly.
That’s right, 3,400 books banned, 3,400! Some school districts did not participate, in part because of the federal court’s injunction. Less than half of the districts that did ban books reshelved some or all of the removed books after the injunction was issued. But even after that dust settled, the Register reports that nearly 1,000 titles and 2,000 individual books were removed from school libraries in 2023 and remain removed to this day.
For context, over the two years prior to the passage of SF 496, again as documented by the Register, approximately 60 books were banned from Iowa school districts.
I can say when I’m wrong, I didn’t even know that it had topped 1,000 by that time. Thank God the Des Moines Register has continued to do this painstaking work, especially in light of the fact that no one in Iowa state government is keeping track. Imagine where we would be if the Register’s Iowa Book Ban Battle Project were not there to keep us informed of how far darkness has advanced in this matter?
What am I going to do?
First and foremost, I’m staying my course. As I have written about in a prior post, I am procuring a Little Free Library — [update - I have ordered my first, which should arrive this week, and I am looking into acquiring a second, unattended Little Free Library] — I am building up my supply of books, including my banned books as a feature of my “stacks.” As soon as I can get my libraries up and filled with books, I will promote them as a safe place where all can come to get a book to read without fear of recrimination, hostility and hate. I will stand in the breach with nothing but my books, my heart, my soul and my words. But trust me, that will be enough, for me.
I doubt, however, that it will be enough, in and of itself, to change this story and bend the arc of this bizarre morality play again toward justice — 3,400 books… thirty four hundred — but it will be a place where I can begin a narrative that, I hope, will attract people, engage others and from which we can write a better story for Iowa’s future. A future that embraces education, intelligence, democracy and the freedoms of speech and expression that should be the undergirding principles of our state and nation.
Does all of this frighten you, John?
No, that’s the short answer. Before I had even a small plan for how I would stand in the breach, yes, it did, a little. But not anymore, not on this day. And not tomorrow or the next day — or the next.
I’m sure there will be those that disagree with me, certainly the Governor will. I don’t care. I know what I know. And I know that banning 3,400 books from school libraries is an offense to anyone that supports education, literacy, learning, expression and democracy. Even more than that it is a massive assault on those principles by those that would choose a MAGA-fueled, Handmaid’s Tale dystopian fever-dream for the future of our society. And not only would they choose that for themselves, but they would also foist it on me, on my family, and on yours too.
Governor Kim Reynolds and her fellow book banners and bigots will not decide what I, my family, my daughter, my future grandchildren can read, learn, think or say. Quite simply, that is not going to happen.
Keep the faith, keep fighting and keep in touch… john