To the editor:
Sen. Jake Chapman appears to have appointed himself the moral arbiter of Iowa. He’s announced he will determine for all of us what is acceptable for our children to read and what is not. No thanks, Senator.
Tonight I had a wonderful conversation with my 15-year-old granddaughter, who was horrified at Chapman’s remarks, which she saw on social media. He indicated a willingness to criminalize teachers who expose students to the world as it is through diverse and realistic reading materials.
She and I have both read “The Hate U Give,” a novel Chapman found to be offensive. It’s about racism and the intersection of cultures. Both my book club of older women in rural Iowa and my granddaughter attending a suburban HS near Des Moines thought the compelling story was a wonderful example of how a book can reveal life experiences other than our own and expand our understanding of the world as it is.
It is ridiculous to attempt to hide reality from our children. And furthermore, why on earth would we want to?
Susie Olesen
Greenfield
Chapman is willing to criminalize teachers and journalists. Which schools in his district should he visit to find the evil teachers? Should Chapman turn over his accusations of criminal acts of teachers to law enforcement? What criminal code should be used? Bullies are rarely able to confront their victims when the victims have others who stand up for them. Make sure you stand behind your child’s teacher.