Iowa

‘This Book is Gay’ and Iowa’s looming school library book ban

Published

2 years ago

May 19, 2023

‘This Book is Gay’ and Iowa’s looming school library book ban

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – “This Book is Gay” is one of the most banned books of 2022, according to the American Library Association. But an Iowa City School District committee concluded the book should remain at its junior high. That’s in contrast to a looming book ban from Governor Kim Reynolds that librarians worry will send kids into dangerous online settings seeking information.

In the coming weeks Gov. Reynolds is expected to sign SF 496, a bill she proposed as a parental bill of rights, after it passed the Iowa legislature with no Democrat support. It includes a conservative wish list of school reforms including a ban on teaching gender and sexual identity – known by critics as ‘don’t say gay’ – in K-6th grades, requiring schools to alert parents if their child wants to use a pronoun different than their birth sex, and requires schools remove any literature that includes “descriptions or visual depictions of a sex act”.

“This Book is Gay” is certain to fall under than book ban and be removed from school libraries and classrooms across the state.

The Sioux City Community School District opted to remove the book in March after a conservative Twitter page called “Libs of TikTok” highlighted it saying the content compromised student safety.

The Iowa City Community School District received two bomb threats after the same Twitter group highlighted that the district had the book in its junior high, too. That prompted the Iowa City School District to initiate its review process, a rarely used procedure that all Iowa school districts have in some form to respond to complaints about classroom or library material.

Iowa City’s review process requires a Reconsideration Committee that includes teachers, students, and community members. Susan Craig, a retired Iowa City librarian, served as the chair of that committee and said the members were unanimous in wanting to keep the book available in schools.

“For any students who just want to know what it means to be gay and what it means to be trans, they can read this book for basic information that is scientifically accurate,” Craig said.

The controversy

The author, Juno Dawson, who identifies as a transgender woman, writes at the beginning of the book that she intends it to be a sort of “instruction manual” for LGBTQ teenagers. Much of the book addresses basic questions of sexual and gender identity: defining gender and sexuality, explaining the biology and history of both, discussing how to handle hatred, and coming out to parents.

Chapters 8 and 9 are the focus of much of the controversy, often with pages and snippets posted online.

Chapter 8 – “Where to meet people like you” – includes a guide to sex apps and gay bars to meet intimate partners. In doing so, the author also warns of the dangers of online dating and hook-up apps.

Chapter 9 – “The ins and outs of gay sex” – even comes with a graphic warning from the author. It includes graphic details of pleasure zones and descriptions of sex acts and how to perform them.

However, Craig emphasized even the graphic sexual content is presented in a fact-based format. She described it like a textbook, comparing it to the content already taught in sex ed in middle school.

“There isn’t anything in here that you wouldn’t already know about heterosexual sex,” Craig said. “You get information about heterosexual sex in sex ed and you don’t get any about other forms of sexual intimacy.”

A review of Iowa City’s sex education curriculum from a letter sent to parents shows it does include discussions of dating and relationships, including online dating apps. It also discusses what sex is, including pleasure zones, and discussions of specific types of sexual acts.

Sid High is a Cedar Rapids teenager who identifies as a transgender man. He read “This Book is Gay” in middle school and called it a great resource for LGBTQ teens to find answers to common questions.

“For me, it was a good resource to be able to understand what being queer really was and say ‘I understand this, this is me’ but I was also really nervous,” said High.

He also compares the book to the content found in sex ed classes but with a decidedly homosexual or transgender viewpoint.

“It’s similar to straight people, they will learn in a class how sex works for straight people and they don’t teach that in a class for gay people, so how will they learn?” High asked rhetorically.

Iowa City decision

Craig said the committee was unanimous in feeling the book should remain available to Iowa City students but the question was at what age is it appropriate. Different expert assessments came to varying conclusions about which age is too young for the book’s graphic sexual content.

For Craig, the two students on the committee played a crucial role in deciding the answer to the question. Craig said the high school students detailed that by middle school, some of their classmates had engaged in sexual activity and that sex was a common topic of discussion. That’s backed up by a 2017 CDC study showing more than half of high school students have engaged in sexual intercourse, and 1 in 4 had engaged in sex by age 16.

For Craig, that makes ‘This Book is Gay’ age appropriate in junior high.

“I think it’s age appropriate if a child is interested in it and can ask the hard questions,” Craig said.

The Iowa City Reconsideration Committee ultimately recommended “This Book is Gay” stay in libraries in junior high, which includes 7th and 8th grades.

Craig said she doesn’t understand why Gov. Reynolds Parental Bill of Rights would ban students from taking part in a material review committee after seeing the role students played in Iowa City’s committee.

State ban implications

The undertone to Iowa City’s decision is that it will likely be moot in mere months. Gov. Reynolds’ parental bill of rights includes a ban on any book with descriptions or depictions of sex that takes effect on January 1, 2024.

“This Book is Gay” would surely be included in that ban, removing it from libraries in Iowa City schools and across the state. Some lawmakers worry the ban would also remove many literary classics like “The Catcher in the Rye”, “Romeo and Juliet” or “The Great Gatsby”.

For Craig and High, removing “This Book is Gay” amounts to taking away parental choice, something Gov. Reynolds has championed in her push to pass this ban in the first place.

“Banning a book takes it away from everybody,” Craig said. “If a parent doesn’t want a child to have access to a book, you don’t ban it for everybody.”

“If it makes you uncomfortable, that’s your decision, you don’t have to have your kids read that book if you don’t want to,” said High.

In a statement, Governor Reynolds’ Office did not directly respond to questions about the decision to ban students from serving on material review committees, like in Iowa City, or why the decision to remove a book should be made at the state level instead of by an individual school district.

“Parents can choose to provide their children with any book they believe is appropriate for them,” said the Governor’s spokesperson Kollin Kropton. “But not all books are appropriate for school libraries.”

Craig acknowledged schools could place some restrictions on content like “This Book is Gay”, like including it as curriculum or making it only available under a counselor’s supervision. High agreed supervision is not a bad idea but added that having it openly available in a library can be valuable for some teenagers.

“If you’re a parent, regardless of if it’s straight or gay, you don’t want your kids to be reading anything sexual at all,” High said. “But also if you’re in the closet and you don’t know how this works and you don’t want to ask your parents because you don’t know how they feel, you’re not going to have that resource.”

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Iowa

Iowa 95, Utah 88: A Balanced Comeback

Published

3 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Press Room

Iowa 95, Utah 88: A Balanced Comeback

Nine months ago, Utah ended Iowa’s 2023-24 season in the second round of the NIT. Saturday night, Iowa faced off with Utah again at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and came away with a very solid 95-88 win over the Utes. The Hawkeyes used a dominant second half and a balanced scoring effort from the starting lineup to earn the victory.

Here are three takeaways from the game.

1. The Big Finish

Finishing strong hasn’t always been a strength for this particular Iowa team. The Hawkeyes couldn’t make enough shots (or get enough stops) in their neutral-site loss to Utah State last month and ran out of steam after playing very well against Iowa State for 35 minutes a few weeks ago.

Saturday, Iowa trailed 40-36 at halftime and was down 11 early in the second half after conceding a 9-2 run to the Utes out of the break. The Hawkeyes caught fire after that, rattling off 25 points in the next seven minutes of game action to tie the score at 63-all.

Down the stretch, it was the Hawkeyes who were making shots and getting stops. Iowa outscored Utah 20-13 after the game was tied at 75 with 6:59 to play. Iowa scored 59 points in the second half (to 48 from Utah), led by 16 points from Payton Sandfort, who shot 5-of-8 from the floor and was perfect at the free throw line (6-of-6).

Notably, Iowa scored 59 points in the second half despite shooting just 4-of-6 from 3-point range. After attempting 14 three-pointers in the opening 20 minutes (and making five of them), Iowa adjusted on offense in the second half, attacking the rim more and getting higher-percentage shots — and more trips to the free throw line, where the Hawkeyes went 17-of-24 after the break.

“We were moving the ball and driving the ball [in the second half],” Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery said after the win. “We settled too much in the first half. Payton said it [and] he was right, we hit a couple early and started settling.”

“[Then] they don’t have to play defense, they don’t get tired, they come down and they carve you up, they run good stuff. So we kept the ball moving the ball side to side, driving the ball, intelligent screening, back-cuts, that was the difference in the game.”

The sellout crowd at the Pentagon had a noticeable (and unsurprising) Hawkeye flavor, which helped fuel Iowa’s second half comeback. That, as well as the veteran core of this Iowa roster that’s had plenty of experience in these situations — both good and bad — at this point.

“Veteran guys,” said McCaffery on how Iowa was able to turn the game around in the second half. “We’ve got good players, we’ve got good ball-handlers, guys who’ve been through it, [the] crowd was great. I think [it was] a combination of all those things.”

2. Drew Thelwell’s Spark

One player who provided a notable spark in Iowa’s comeback effort was senior guard Drew Thelwell, making his third consecutive start. Thelwell didn’t make a basket in the second half — didn’t even attempt one, in fact — but he scored seven points on 7-of-8 shooting at the free throw line.

Thelwell drew five fouls (more than anyone else on the Iowa roster in the second half), although a few of those came late when the Utes were attempting to extend the game. Still, Thelwell’s ability to attack the defense and the energy he brought were key factors in Iowa’s comeback win.

“[His energy] is infectious,” McCaffery said after the game. “Everyone else goes with him, Brock [Harding]’s kind of that way as well. The energy in the building was phenomenal. Drew was right in the middle of that. His defense, drawing six fouls, those are stats that are critical to a team’s ability to win. You do that by driving the ball and drawing fouls and that’s what he did.”

McCaffery also expanded on what he was looking for when he was pursuing Thelwell out of the transfer portal earlier this year and what he’s brought to this Iowa team. “I was looking for a veteran point guard, who could run a team, who could play off the ball and score, guard his man,” he explained.

“I noticed immediately that this kid could play defense, and wants to play defense and wants to play at both ends, that he understands how to engineer a victory,” McCaffery said. “Drew Thelwell is a winner, that’s what I was looking for and that’s what we got.”

The man that Thelwell displaced in the starting lineup — Ladji Dembele — also had some key plays to spark Iowa’s comeback bid. After scoring zero points and grabbing just one rebound in the first half, Dembele had five points, three rebounds, and a steal after intermission. His two baskets came during Iowa’s surge after falling behind by 11 and helped cut a 7-point deficit to just two.

More importantly, he helped keep Iowa afloat in the second half, with Owen Freeman bolted to the bench with foul trouble (Freeman picked up three fouls in the second half and played under five minutes total after halftime). Dembele played 14:10 in the second half and he finished with a +13 plus-minus rating in those minutes, the highest of any Iowa player in the second half.

McCaffery praised the effort from Dembele and fellow sub Pryce Sandfort. “They’re just rock solid, both of them. All they care about is winning. Pryce, defensively, was tremendous. Ladji, boy was he great. [He] had his two big hoops. But then defensively, on the glass, [he had a] big time offensive rebound late, [a] couple in-traffic rebounds, just his awareness defensively was great.”

3. Balance Carries The Day

Recent years have seen multiple standout individual players that served as the focal points for their respective Iowa teams — Luka Garza, followed by Keegan Murray, and then Kris Murray. Those players were superstars at the college level, racking up All-Big Ten honors, winning Big Ten Player of the Year awards, and vying (or winning, in Garza’s case) for national honors as well.

There isn’t a player quite like that on this Iowa roster — but at its best, this is a team that has a lot of depth and scoring balance, with multiple players that can score and pass and put pressure on a defense. Saturday night saw them at something pretty close to their best, especially in the furious second half comeback effort.

All five Iowa starters finished in double figures in scoring, led by Payton Sandfort with 24 points and a game-high 8 rebounds. Freeman finished second on the team with 16 points, despite missing 75% of the second half with foul trouble. “Owen was really on his way to a big-time game, I felt bad when he got in foul trouble like that,” McCaffery said after the game. Freeman finished with 16 points and 6 rebounds.

Josh Dix and Drew Thelwell each added 15 points, with 10 of Dix’s points coming in the second half. Dix did his damage inside the arc in this game, going 7-of-9 on two-point shots and attempting just one three.

Finally, Brock Harding finished with 12 points, all in the second half. After going 0-for-5 in the first half, Harding went 4-of-8 in the second half, including 2-of-2 from deep. His first three gave Iowa its first lead of the second half at 68-67 and his second triple pushed Iowa’s lead to 88-80 with three minutes to play.

When Iowa is moving the ball well, setting screens, and attacking the rim like the offense was in the second half, this becomes a very difficult team to defend because there’s no one player that defenses can key on and try to slow down. Maintaining that focus and that aggressive mindset on the offensive end was key to Iowa’s win on Saturday — maintaining those same things over the next two-and-a-half months will be key to Iowa’s success in the Big Ten.

NEXT: Iowa finishes off non-conference play with a home game against New Hampshire on December 30 (6 PM CT, BTN).

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Iowa

Utah tries to make it three straight against Iowa: MBB Game Preview

Published

11 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Press Room

Utah tries to make it three straight against Iowa: MBB Game Preview

Utah and Iowa will face off in a compelling rematch just nine months after their battle in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT), where the Utes secured a 91-82 victory. This non-conference clash marks an important point in the season for both programs, as Utah (8-2) hits the road following a six-game homestand, while Iowa (8-3) looks to build on their recent momentum. The game will take place at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, a neutral site far from Iowa’s usual home at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Both teams enter this matchup in solid form. Utah has won two straight, including a dominant 89-59 win over Florida A&M, where they saw significant contributions from their bench. Mason Madsen and Mike Sharavjamts each posted 15 points in that contest, demonstrating the Utes’ depth. Meanwhile, Iowa comes off their most commanding performance of the season, a 104-57 rout of New Orleans. Five Hawkeyes scored in double figures, with Owen Freeman tying his career high of 22 points. This sets the stage for what promises to be a competitive showdown between two high-scoring teams, both eager to build their résumés before entering conference play.

Battle of the Floor Generals

One of the most intriguing storylines heading into the game is the point guard duel between Utah’s Miro Little and Iowa’s Brock Harding. Both sophomores have been instrumental in orchestrating their respective offenses. Harding, averaging 9.8 points and 6.2 assists per game, ranks 16th nationally in assists. His ability to control the tempo and facilitate scoring opportunities has been vital to Iowa’s success, as they rank third in the nation with 20 assists per game.

On the other side, Utah leads the country in assists, with 21 per contest, thanks in large part to Little’s contributions (5.4 assists per game). His size advantage over Harding—nearly 30 pounds—could be a key factor. Little’s physicality and ability to drive the lane will test Harding’s defensive abilities. For Iowa, limiting Little’s impact will be essential, as Utah’s offense flows through him. Conversely, Utah’s defense will need to focus on containing Harding’s playmaking to disrupt Iowa’s offensive rhythm. With both teams ranking in the top 10 nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio, the game may ultimately hinge on which point guard takes better care of the ball.

Slowing Down Iowa’s Twin Towers

Iowa’s offense is powered by forwards Owen Freeman and Payton Sandfort, who form a formidable frontcourt duo. Freeman, a dominant presence in the paint at 6’10, leads the team with 17.2 points per game and shoots an impressive 66% from the field. Sandfort, standing at 6’8, complements Freeman’s inside game with perimeter shooting, having already knocked down 29 three-pointers this season. Their contrasting styles make them difficult to defend, contributing to Iowa’s status as the 11th-highest scoring team in the country, averaging 87.2 points per game.

Utah’s defense will have to rise to the occasion, with Lawson Lovering tasked with handling Freeman inside. Sharavjamts’ size and versatility should allow him to match up with Sandfort, but Utah will likely need to employ frequent defensive switches to counter Iowa’s efforts to create mismatches. Rotational defense and contesting shots at the perimeter will be crucial for the Utes.

Building Momentum

Utah’s leading scorer, Gabe Madsen, continues to be a focal point for the Utes, averaging 19.8 points per game, good for 19th in the nation. His scoring versatility mirrors Sandfort’s, making him a potential game-changer in this matchup. Utah’s ability to score from both inside and beyond the arc has propelled them to 14th in the nation in scoring at 86.6 points per game.

A victory over Iowa would give Utah their first marquee win of the season, providing a significant confidence boost as they head into Big 12 play. With a tough matchup against Baylor looming on New Year’s Eve, this game represents a pivotal opportunity for the Utes to establish momentum and strengthen their standing in the national landscape.

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Iowa

PREVIEW: Iowa MBB vs Utah

Published

19 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Press Room

PREVIEW: Iowa MBB vs Utah

WHO: Utah Utes (8-2)

WHEN: 5:00 PM CT (Saturday, December 21, 2024)

WHERE: Sanford Pentagon (Sioux Falls, SD)

TV: BTN (Chris Vosters and Shon Morris)

RADIO: Hawkeye Radio Network (Gary Dolphin, Bobby Hansen)

MOBILE: foxsports.com/mobile

ONLINE: foxsports.com/live

FOLLOW: @HawkeyeBeacon | @IowaHoops | @CBBonFOX | @IowaonBTN

LINE: Iowa -1.5 (total of 163.5 points)

KENPOM: Iowa -3 (Iowa 58% chance of winning)

On Saturday, Iowa will face its final non-conference test of the season (though there’s still one more cupcake on the menu — a visit from New Hampshire on December 30), and play the third of its three neutral-site games in the non-conference portion of the schedule. The Hawkeyes prevailed over Washington State in Moline, but fell to Utah State in Kansas City; now they’ll try to take down Utah in the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls.

PROJECTED IOWA STARTING LINEUP

G Brock Harding (6’0″, 165 lbs; 9.4 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 6.0 apg; 49.3 FG%; 45.5 3FG%)

G Josh Dix (6’6″, 210 lbs; 13.4 ppg; 3.9 rpg; 2.9 apg; 51.3 FG%; 38.5 3FG%)

G Drew Thelwell (6’3″, 195 lbs; 8.4 ppg; 2.5 rpg; 3.3 apg; 52.2 FG%; 35.5%)

F Payton Sandfort (6’8″, 215 lbs; 16.4 ppg; 5.8 rpg; 4.0 apg; 38.6 FG%; 31.5 3FG%)

C Owen Freeman (6’10”, 245 lbs; 16.8 ppg; 7.0 rpg; 1.3 apg; 64.4 FG%; 37.5 3FG%)

Thelwell has started the last two games for Iowa and could be in line for a third-straight start, given the generally strong returns that have resulted from adding Thelwell to the starting lineup. It also wouldn’t be a shock to see Ladji Dembele return to the starting lineup, though, as the Utes boast some significant size in the front court (three likely starters 6’8″ or taller).

Otherwise, Iowa should have the full roster available for this game, aside from possibly Seydou Traore. Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery indicated during his Thursday media availability that he was “not too optimistic” about Traore being available for this game

PROJECTED UTAH STARTING LINEUP

G Miro Little (6’3″, 194 lbs; 8.4 ppg; 5.6 rpg; 5.4 apg; 37.5 FG%; 29.4 3FG%)

G Gabe Madsen (6’6″, 200 lbs; 19.8 ppg; 2.4 rpg; 2.4 apg; 45.8 FG%; 40.2 3FG%)

F Ezra Ausar (6’8″, 238 lbs; 11.1 ppg; 4.5 rpg; 0.8 apg; 57.4 FG%; 0.0 3FG%)

F Mike Sharavjamts (6’9″, 195 lbs; 8.1 ppg; 4.1 rpg; 3.3 apg; 49.3 FG%; 35.5 3FG%)

C Lawson Lovering (7’1″, 245 lbs; 11.4 ppg; 6.4 rpg; 2.2 apg; 65.8 FG%; 0.0 3FG%)

PREVIEW

It’s rare that Iowa sees the same non-conference opponent in consecutive seasons (outside of the annual date with Iowa State), but the Hawkeyes have some recent history with the Utes — Utah knocked Iowa out of the NIT in the second round last year, 91-82. Both teams have turned over the roster a bit since that game — Iowa returns three starters from that game, while the Utes have two returning starters from last year — but some of the most important faces should be familiar.

For the Utes, that starts with wing Gabe Madsen, who absolutely torched Iowa with 31 points in that NIT win last March, thanks to some blistering shooting from beyond the arc in that game (7-of-15). Madsen has been Utah’s top long-range shooter this season as well, as he leads the team in makes (39) and attempts (97) from three-point range and ranks second (40.2%) in percentage. He’s made at least two triples in every game this season, except for Utah’s 89-59 win over Florida A&M last week.

This year, Madsen has been joined at Utah by his twin brother, Mason, a transfer from Boston College. Mason Madsen has yet to start this season, but he’s still played heavy minutes (20.7 mpg) and been one of Utah’s top scorers (11.1 ppg). Like his brother, he’s also a crack shot from long range, making 31-of-68 (45.6%) attempts from outside the 3-point arc.

Three-point shooting is, unsurprisingly, a pretty big part of Utah’s offense. The Utes are shooting 38.2% from deep (38th nationally) and they get a lot of points from the three-point shot (39.1%, 30th) and take a lot of three-point attempts (47.4% of their field goals, 35th in three-point rate nationally). One interesting thing to watch: how Utah adjusts to the rims and the sight-lines at the Sanford Pentagon — we’ve seen teams struggle to shoot well from outside in past games in that arena.

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Shooting is a strength of Utah’s offense overall. The Utes have an effective FG% of 57.7%, which ranks 16th nationally. In addition to shooting 38.2% from 3-point range, Utah is also converting 58.1% of 2-point attempts (32nd). They only place on the floor where the Utes aren’t shooting well this year is the free throw line; the Utes are making just 64.2% of their attempts at the free throw line.

Otherwise, Utah doesn’t turn the ball over often (15.2%, 52nd) and they hit the offensive glass well (34.7%, 52nd). The biggest weakness of the Utah offense (outside of the poor free throw shooting) is their propensity to have shots blocked; the Utes have had 11.9% of their shots blocked by opponents this season.

Big men Lawson Lovering (7’1″, 245 lbs) and Ezra Aurar (6’8″, 238 lbs) are the other two Utes scoring in double figures this season. Lovering is averaging 11.4 ppg this season and does his damage near the rim (65.8% on shots inside the 3-point arc). He had six points and 10 rebounds against Iowa last year. Aurar, an East Carolina transfer, also does his damage in the painted area: he’s 35-of-50 (58.3%) on 2-point tries and 0-for-1 (0.0%) on three-point attempts

Utah has been generally sold on the defensive end this year as well, rating 58th in defensive efficiency this season. The Utes have been solid but not great at forcing turnovers (19.3% of opponent possessions, 108th nationally) or keeping teams off the free throw line (130th in opponent free throw rate). Their strengths on defense have been defending the glass and contesting shots.

The Utes rank 49th in keeping opponents away from the offensive glass (opponents have gotten offensive boards on just 25.9% of their possessions), but they’ve been especially good at contesting shots. Opponents have an effective field goal percentage of just 43.4% from the floor, which is the 10th best defensive effort nationally. Utah has been particularly good at contesting two-point attempts; opponents are converting those shots at 41.2% of 2-point shots this week.

Last year’s Iowa-Utah game was a high-tempo affair — 76 possessions — and this year’s game could be more of the same. Both Iowa and Utah like to push the pace and try to get out and run — the Hawkeyes rank 39th in tempo this season, while the Utes rank 46th.

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