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Urbandale school board candidates oppose book bans, urge age-appropriate review and librarian discretion
Summary
At a candidate forum during connections, Urbandale school board candidates said they oppose outright book bans, favor parent input and age-appropriate review, and urged reliance on trained librarians and review committees.
At a candidate forum held during the school day "connections" period, candidates for the Urbandale Community School District school board said they oppose blanket bans on books while supporting age-appropriate review and greater parent input.
Rodrigo Santizo, a candidate for the school board, said, "I'm a 100% against it," adding that students should be able to decide what they want to read. Hannah Horton, another candidate, said, "I don't think it's the government's role to regulate what we can and cannot read. I trust teachers and educators and school librarians who have specific training, to decide what is appropriate and, age appropriate for our kids." Rachel Kent, the incumbent candidate, and Mark Solomon, another candidate, expressed similar concerns and emphasized existing review processes and parent involvement.
The candidates described a shared position that books should be available to students while acknowledging age-appropriateness. Solomon urged more parent input through established channels and called for clearer avenues to put community concerns on board agendas. Kent noted a practical complication: the district's grade-range structure, with middle school grade ranges spanning traditional boundaries, can make middle-school selection of materials more challenging.
Candidates also emphasized trust in trained school librarians and committee review. Kent said she has faith that the district's librarians and committees can provide age-appropriate collections, while Horton said keeping materials available helps develop critical thinking.
No candidate advocated for blanket removal of library materials without a review process. Instead, speakers repeatedly framed the issue as one of ensuring appropriate review and preserving access for students who are old enough to make informed choices.
The forum did not include any formal proposals or votes on policy changes; candidates discussed principles and possible approaches but did not commit to specific procedural changes.
