When I was in elementary school, there was this group of mean girls who didn't like me.
They threatened to beat me up more than once, to the point I would pretend to be sick so I would not have to go to school.
Regardless, I did well in school, and more than almost anything else – what got me through that was books.
I was lucky - I was always allowed to pick as many books as I wanted from the Scholastic book order form. When the books were distributed I could always tell which pile sitting on the teacher's desk was mine because it was the tallest.
Books were where I realized that it was ok that I did not fit in everywhere.
I found acceptance in books. I found comfort in books. I learned about other people from books. I developed a sense of empathy for people that were not like me because of books.
Books were a lifeline to me at many difficult moments in my life. I cannot possibly imagine denying a child a book. I don't think that it is too far a stretch to say that there are books that have literally saved people's lives because they found comfort or acceptance or read about someone like themselves – by reading a book.
This is why I’m absolutely incensed that State Legislators in Iowa are discussing banning certain books and instituting criminal penalties for teachers and librarians who distribute those books.
The "obscene" books in question are mostly from authors in marginalized communities. Books like The Hate U Give and Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian that tackle tough issues and raise important questions. This is not by accident and the intention is to not only censor but actively silence diverse voices in Iowa schools.
I want to make my position clear. If elected Polk County Attorney, my office will not prosecute teachers or librarians for distributing books.
