With Senate File 496 newly in place, educators statewide are concerned about the impacts on students. According to WeAreIowa.com, the negative impacts of this bill have already shown through. The law requires teachers to notify administrators (who then must notify guardians) if a student uses a name or pronoun other than the sex assigned at birth. This results as an issue for students who do not feel they can use their preferred identity at home.

AHS QSA (Queer Sexuality Alliance) sponsor and arts educator Elizabeth Herrick-Williams has noticed an impact on the students and her relationships with them during the first weeks of school. She said this has added to “the anxiety that kids already experience in school,” and that the new law is “not something that’s elevating their learning and education.” She said that even though the new restrictions impact student-teacher bonds, “It doesn’t make me care about my kids any less.”

In an article from WeAreIowa.com, Des Moines schools superintendent Dr. Ian Roberts said, “’Senate File 496 certainly has created a level of anxiety amongst a number of educators,’ Roberts said. ‘And primarily, because any violation of this law certainly can have an impact on teachers, on staff, on school leaders and the superintendent if there is any violation of the law.'” The article states how Senate File 496 has left people wondering “is [the new law] super necessary?”

Furthermore, Senate File 496 also revoked the education on identity and gender from kindergarten through sixth grade. Herrick-Williams believes that students should be able to have access to information, and that limiting the education harms growth, as well as  “I don’t want to hinder that education any longer.”

As reported by Iowa Public Radio, Governor Kim Reynolds has defended the legislation as giving “individual families more influence over teachers and school boards.” While meeting with Moms for Liberty, a conservative parents’ rights group, Reynolds said, “You’re fighting for the fundamental principle that parents are the primary decision-makers for their children.”

For additional information consider reading this previous story.

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