Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds slams media 'book ban' narrative: Just a 'd-mn distraction'

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Gov. Kim Reynolds attacks book ban narrative as a d-mn distraction

Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds defended a recent law that restricts books with sexual acts in public schools from kindergarten through the sixth grade.

Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds of Iowa had harsh words for people attacking the state’s laws restricting books that describe or illustrate sexual acts in schools.

During a press conference on Wednesday, a reporter asked Reynolds about local school districts claiming that there is a lack of guidance in the law, leading to the investigation of hundreds of books. The governor emphasized that the law is clear and blasted the framing of it as a "book ban" as a "d-mn distraction."

"We are way off course. Our kids and our teachers deserve better. They deserve the tools to help these kids succeed, not a d-mn distraction on a nasty, pornographic book that should never, ever be in a classroom. Now, if you're a parent, and you think it's important, this is good, for your child to have access to that. Okay, go buy the book. We didn't ban them. Go buy the book, sit down, have a conversation with your child, but let's not put that on the teachers, and let's not put that on the schools, and I think it's pretty clear," Reynolds said.

Gov. Kim Reynolds attacked efforts to spin the removal of sexually explicit books from public school libraries into a "book ban." (Iowa Governors Office)

She added, "And if they can't distinguish that, I don't know, you know, maybe we outta take a look at what they should be dealing with. So it's just a distraction, and they're trying, they don't like, and so they're blowing it out of proportion. It's simple. The words are clear. Follow the law. Follow the law."

IOWA LEGISLATURE PASSES CRACKDOWN ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER INSTRUCTION IN SCHOOLS 

The law, which was signed in May, restricts books that describe or illustrate sexually explicit acts from public school libraries. 

"Sex acts" are defined in the law as "Penetration of the penis into the vagina or anus," "Contact between the mouth and genitalia or mouth and anus or by contact between the genitalia of one person and the genitalia or anus of another person," "Ejaculation onto the person of another" or the "touching of a person’s own genitals or anus with a finger, hand."

Reynolds signed into law a bill that restricted books depicting "sex acts" in public school libraries in May. (In Pictures Ltd./Corbis via Getty Images)

Reynolds pointed out that she previously attempted to read excerpts from one of the controversial books to a local news station and the station had to use a disclaimer with the video and "still didn't show it because [they] were uncomfortable - the media was uncomfortable."

"But, yet, somebody believes that our kids should be subjected to that?" Reynolds said.

IOWA SCHOOL DISTRICT TO REVIEW NEARLY 400 BOOKS THAT WERE FLAGGED FOR SEX ACT DEPICTIONS, GENDER IDENTITY 

She added, "You know, I'm a grandma, I was a parent. I think moms and grandmas, they want their kids to get a good education. They want them to be able to read. They want them to be able to do math, science, civics, really understand what the history of this country is, good and bad, and we're not where we need to be. Especially after COVID, and we're lucky because we kept our kids in school, but we are not where we should be."

Reynolds spoke about the law during a press conference on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

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The law also prohibited discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity in public schools through the sixth grade.

Reynolds also added a statement Friday to Fox News Digital.

"Protecting children from explicit sexual content shouldn’t be controversial," she said. "The real controversy is that it exists in school libraries. Books with graphic depictions of sex acts have absolutely no place in our schools. If these books were movies, they’d be rated R. The media can’t even air excerpts from these books because the content is offensive and inappropriate, yet they promote the narrative that they’re good for kids." 

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