Editor’s note: This article is not suitable for young readers.
WAUKEE, Iowa – Waukee Community Schools said they pulled three LGBTQ-themed books – All Boys Aren’t Blue, Lawn Boy, and Gender Queer – from Northwest High School’s library to review after receiving complaints about sexually explicit content, Axios Des Moines reported on Tuesday morning.
On Monday evening, a Waukee resident, Amanda McClanahan, read excerpts from each book during the Waukee School Board meeting.
(watch the video above)
The excerpt she read from All Boys Aren’t Blue describes a boy being sexually abused, oral sex, and masturbation by a family member.
The excerpt McClanahan read from Lawn Boy described oral sex and fondling between fourth grade boys during a youth group meeting at church.
The excerpt of Gender Queer she referenced included different sex toys, oral sex, and a cartoon depicting oral sex that she held up to show the board members.
McClanahan pointed out these books can be checked out by students as young as 14-years-old and claimed the books were allowed in the school under the guise of the equity and equality standards approved by the school board.
“Can you tell me, does equity and inclusion also include incestuous relationships, child-adult sex, and books that promote pedophilia?” she asked after her allotted time had expired.
A Waukee parent, Courtney Collier, spoke later, calling the books pornography.
“Our school libraries have pornographic material available for our students to check out,” she said. “Not any of the aforementioned magazines (Playboy, Penthouse) but dozens of books in our libraries whitewashed and labeled as educational, inclusive, and diverse.”
“At first glance by a curious student, these books may appear innocent. However, when you dig in, you find much, much more. The book cover’s highlights do not show you the graphic illustrations about masturbation, oral sex, and other sex acts. Or even worse, a minor performing sex on an adult or various sexual encounters and even rape between fourth grade boys,” Collier stated.
She questioned the school board: “Does the fact that these books are in our new high school mean that as district leadership, you and some of our teachers are okay with our schools exposing our children to incest, rape, and child sexual abuse? Who is responsible for ordering and approving these books? Where is the accountability? The community deserves an answer. Are these books new since the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion standards were approved in August of 2020? Or have they been there for a few years?”
“It’s not about gay or straight. It’s very simple. It’s porn, and it doesn’t belong in our school libraries, period,” Collier stated.
She claimed that exposing minors to the sexually explicit material in these books amounts to child grooming. Collier then encouraged Waukee voters to vote wisely on Election Day on Tuesday next week.
“Vote for the people who are not okay with this and who want it out of our schools, and they want the standards changed because this is not appropriate,” she concluded.
