FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Open Letter and Press Release – Urgent Notice Regarding Book Removal Legislation
Dear Spencer Community Schools Officials,
I hope this letter finds you well. We are the leaders and members of a faith community called Re:faith (https://re-faith.org). We write to call your attention a matter of great importance concerning the recent legislation requiring schools to remove certain books from their shelves, HF496.
This law purports to support parental rights, instead imposing the will of state government. It uses the trappings of educational terminology and then perverts the terms’ meaning. “Age appropriate” is redefined to fit the purposes of censorship. “Science based,” means whatever the governor’s appointee determines appropriate.
We understand the significance of fostering an educational environment that aligns with community values. However, it is crucial to recognize the diversity that contributes to the richness of our society. In light of this legislation, we draw your attention to the religious text exemption, which applies to books considered sacred within various faith traditions.
We have obtained a list of candidate books for removal in Spencer. Upon review, we note that all books on Spencer’s list are sacred texts in our faith tradition. Therefore, they fall under the umbrella of this law’s religious text exemption. For reference, we have published a partial list of our sacred texts online, accessible to all (https://re-faith.org/1hy4). This list serves as a valuable resource for identifying and acknowledging the cultural and religious significance of these texts. Visit https://re-faith.org for more details.
We are aware that a federal judge has temporarily blocked portions of this law from going into effect (https://www.iowapublicradio.org/education/2023-12-29/federal-judge-blocks-enforcement-of-iowas-book-ban-law). Regardless of the outcome of court proceedings, we wanted to let you know that all of the books on your list are exempt.
Should you receive challenges to other books not listed on our website, you may contact us at [email protected] for information about whether the book in question may also be among our holy texts.
We believe in maintaining a balanced and inclusive educational environment. By recognizing the religious text exemption, we can uphold the principles of freedom of religion and diversity that our community cherishes.
This letter is being sent officials at Spencer Community Schools and in state government. It also serves as a press release shared with the Spencer Daily Reporter and the Des Moines Register. We trust that, through collaborative efforts, we can ensure that our schools remain spaces of learning and understanding, embracing the richness of our diverse beliefs.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to nurturing a community that values both education and religious diversity.
Sincerely,
The leaders and membership of Re:faith
Cc: Spencer Daily Reporter, Des Moines Register, Governor Kim Reynolds, State Senator Lynn Evans, Representative Megan Jones
This letter is also permanently published at https://re-faith.org/spencer_letter.
