Iowa Board of Education reviews new laws on curriculum, gender identity and abuse reporting – KCCI

Report on Iowa State Board of Education Rule Changes and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Human Growth and Development Curriculum and SDG Alignment

The Iowa State Board of Education has proposed new rules to implement Senate File 175, impacting the human growth and development curriculum. These changes have direct implications for several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 4 (Quality Education).

The law mandates the inclusion of fetal development content for grades 5-12, sourced from entities that do not perform or promote abortions. The proposed rules further expand the curriculum to ensure comprehensive health education, contributing to SDG 3 targets for health and well-being. The new curriculum requirements include:

• Grades 5-6: At least one class covering self-esteem, stress management, interpersonal relations, and domestic abuse.
• Grades 7-8: Coverage of the topics above, with the addition of education on the prevention and control of sexually transmitted diseases.

A public comment period is scheduled, reflecting principles of SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) by allowing for participatory and representative decision-making.

Modifications to Civil Rights Protections and Impact on SDGs 5 and 10

The Board approved rules to comply with a new state law that removes “gender identity” as a protected class within the Iowa Civil Rights Act. This action directly challenges the principles of SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) by potentially marginalizing transgender students.

Key changes codified in the new rules include:

1. The term “gender identity” in state education code is replaced with “gender theory.”
2. The definition of “diverse groups” is clarified to explicitly exclude “gender identity.”

Opponents, such as Iowa Safe Schools, argue this policy undermines the goal of providing an inclusive and equitable learning environment as outlined in SDG 4 (Quality Education), by sending a message that students’ gender identity should be hidden. Proponents of the law state it reinforces parental rights in guiding their children’s understanding of gender and sexuality.

Enhanced Protocols for Investigating Student Abuse and Support for SDG 16

New rules were finalized to grant the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) authority to investigate specific instances of abuse involving students. This measure strengthens institutional frameworks for child protection, aligning with SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), which calls for ending abuse and violence against children, and supports SDG 4 (Quality Education) by fostering safe and non-violent learning environments.

HHS will now be the primary investigator under the following conditions:

• The victim is a student.
• The case involves physical or sexual abuse or the prostitution of a child.
• The alleged perpetrator is a school employee, volunteer, or vendor.
• The incident occurred on school grounds or during a school-related activity.

The results of HHS investigations will be shared with the school district and the board of educational examiners. A finding of abuse by HHS mandates the termination of the employee involved. These rules are set to take effect on January 14.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The article discusses new rules for human growth and development classes, which include topics like fetal development, self-esteem, stress management, domestic abuse, and the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. These topics are directly related to ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for students.
• SDG 4: Quality Education: The core of the article is about the Iowa State Board of Education finalizing rules that dictate school curriculum and policies. It addresses the content of education (human growth classes), the learning environment (rules on abuse investigations), and the inclusivity of the educational system (removal of gender identity protections), all of which are central to quality education.
• SDG 5: Gender Equality: The article highlights a new law that removes “gender identity” as a protected class in the Iowa Civil Rights Act and changes the term to “gender theory” in school policies. This action directly impacts gender equality and the rights and safety of transgender students, sparking debate and opposition from organizations like Iowa Safe Schools.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: By removing legal protections for transgender students, the new law creates and exacerbates inequalities. The article notes that opponents believe “the law will make things harder for transgender students,” which aligns with the goal of reducing inequalities and ensuring no one is left behind.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions: This goal is relevant through the discussion of law-making, institutional rule-setting (by the Board of Education), and justice mechanisms. The new rules giving the Iowa Department of Health Human Services authority to investigate school-related abuse cases are a direct effort to strengthen justice for child victims of violence and abuse within an institutional setting. The mention of a public comment period also relates to building effective and accountable institutions.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 3.7: “By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education…” The article’s focus on mandatory curriculum content for human growth and development classes, including fetal development and the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, directly relates to this target concerning information and education on sexual and reproductive health.
• Target 4.7: “By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote… human rights, gender equality and promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence…” The curriculum’s inclusion of topics like “interpersonal relations” and “domestic abuse” contributes to this target. Conversely, the debate over removing protections for gender identity shows a conflict with the promotion of human rights and gender equality within the education system.
• Target 4.a: “Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all.” The new rules for investigating physical and sexual abuse in schools are aimed at creating a safer learning environment. However, the removal of protections for gender identity is seen by opponents as making the environment less safe and inclusive for transgender students.
• Target 5.1: “End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere.” This target can be extended to include discrimination based on gender identity. The article explicitly discusses the removal of “gender identity as a protected class in the Iowa Civil Rights Act,” which is a policy change that opponents argue constitutes a form of discrimination.
• Target 10.3: “Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices…” The law removing protections for transgender students is presented in the article as a discriminatory policy. The debate highlighted between supporters and opponents centers on whether this law ensures equal opportunity or creates inequality.
• Target 16.2: “End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children.” The new rules empowering the Iowa Department of Health Human Services to investigate “physical or sexual abuse” of students by school employees on school grounds is a direct measure aimed at achieving this target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Existence of comprehensive sexuality education in the curriculum: The article implies this indicator by detailing the specific topics that must be covered in human growth and development classes for grades 5-12, such as fetal development, STDs, self-esteem, and domestic abuse. The content and implementation of this curriculum can be measured.
• Existence of laws and policies that guarantee equality and non-discrimination: This indicator is directly addressed. The article reports on a law that “removes gender identity as a protected class,” which serves as a negative indicator for progress towards equality and non-discrimination based on gender identity.
• Number of reported and investigated cases of violence against children: The article implies this indicator by establishing a new formal process for the Iowa HHS to “investigate certain school-related abuse cases involving Iowa students.” The number of cases handled through this new system could be tracked to measure its effectiveness in addressing abuse.
• Mechanisms for public participation in policy-making: The article mentions that “There will be a chance for the public to weigh in on Dec. 30.” This points to an indicator related to participatory and inclusive decision-making by public institutions like the Board of Education.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table

Source: kcci.com