A colorful patchwork elephant has become the latest focal point in a broader debate over what belongs in Higley Unified School District classrooms and how much say parents should have over materials their children encounter.
“Elmer the Patchwork Elephant,” the children’s book about a multicolored elephant who struggles with being different before accepting himself, drew sharply different interpretations from members of the Higley Governing Board during its Aug. 11 meeting.
Board Member Anna Van Hoek objected to the district’s purchase of the book because its publisher has associated the character with LGBTQ pride, while Board President Amanda Wade argued nothing in the book itself deals with LGBTQ issues and its message of self-acceptance is appropriate for all children.
