- United States
- Iowa
- Letter
Opposition to HF 76, HSB 34, and SSB 1028 in Iowa Classrooms
To: Sen. Grassley, Rep. Nunn, Sen. Ernst
From: A verified voter in West Des Moines, IA
January 25, 2025
I am writing to express my strong opposition to HF 76, HSB 34, and SSB 1028, which propose harmful changes to Iowa’s classrooms. These bills would put politics ahead of fact-based learning and undermine the educational integrity that young Iowans deserve.
Requiring students to view “a computer-generated rendering or animation,” such as the “Meet Baby Olivia” video by Live Action—a group known for its inflammatory and scientifically inaccurate content—would politicize health education. This video has been discredited for promoting blatantly false and misleading information, and its inclusion in Iowa classrooms would erode trust in our schools while failing to provide students with medically accurate, unbiased, and age-appropriate health education.
These bills represent a dangerous politicization of young Iowans and health class, prioritizing an ideological agenda over factual and inclusive learning. Last session, Iowans spoke out and successfully stopped similar legislation. We must step up again to oppose these measures because our students deserve better.
Additionally, these bills raise concerns about:
1. Erosion of Parental Rights: These measures take critical decisions about sensitive topics out of the hands of families and impose a one-size-fits-all approach that is out of step with the needs of Iowa’s diverse communities.
2. Undermining Educational Standards: Classrooms should foster critical thinking and evidence-based learning, not serve as a platform for political agendas or scientifically unfounded narratives.
Our students deserve accurate, fact-based education that prepares them for the future—not ideological mandates that misinform and divide. I urge you to listen to the voices of Iowa families and educators and reject HF 76, HSB 34, and SSB 1028.
Thank you for your attention to this critical issue. I trust you will make the right choice for Iowa’s students and families.