Iowa Officials Praised for Banning Elementary School Readings of Pro-Homosexual Book
by Jim Brown
August 18, 2005
(AgapePress) - A prominent sexual orientation researcher is applauding the Iowa State Board of Education for unanimously upholding a local school board's decision barring teachers from reading a homosexuality-affirming book to elementary students.
By a 7-0 vote, the Iowa Board of Education approved the decision by the Pleasant Valley School Board to limit homosexual author James Howe's novel, The Misfits, to middle school. Pleasant Valley officials question the age-appropriateness and rough language of the book, which features a so-called "gay" seventh-grade character. The school board banned the reading aloud of The Misfits to elementary students in the Pleasant Valley district after a father complained about the book's acceptance of homosexuality.
Dr. Warren Throckmorton is a psychology professor at Grove City College in Pennsylvania, and the producer of a documentary on sexual orientation change. He applauds the Iowa state education officials for their ruling and calls it a victory for local control and for parents who wish to voice their views about school curricula.
Throckmorton says school districts that have concerns about portraying sexuality themes in elementary school, particularly in Iowa, can feel supported by this decision "because they know the Iowa State Board will back them up." Meanwhile, he expresses the hope that, perhaps in other places as well, local district officials and others will feel more confident they can express concerns about exposing elementary students to themes of sexuality and "not be portrayed as biased or bigoted."
The Christian psychologist insists that "there really are age limits to what themes should be portrayed" to impressionable young people. Throckmorton says in all the ongoing cultural debate about sexuality, he wishes all sides could agree to leave children alone and let schools educate rather than engage in activism.
Jim Brown, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
