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.
The purchase surfaced as part of a $766,369.74 expense voucher containing numerous district expenditures. Van Hoek had the voucher removed from the consent agenda for separate discussion because of the book.
The board ultimately ratified the voucher 2-1, with Van Hoek opposed. Board Member Tiffany Shultz lost her remote connection for the vote.
Van Hoek said she understood the book promotes kindness, friendship, diversity, uniqueness and individuality but questioned the choice because of how its publisher has promoted Elmer outside the story.
“I don't believe that this is an appropriate themed book for our students,” Van Hoek said. “Again, this is for elementary students, and there's so many other options that could be chosen, yet this is what was picked.”
“Elmer the Patchwork Elephant,” written and illustrated by David McKee, tells the story of an elephant whose patchwork of bright colors distinguishes him from the other elephants. Elmer temporarily disguises himself to look like them before ultimately being revealed and celebrated for being different.
Wade said that message, rather than anything the publisher has subsequently associated with the character, should determine whether the book is appropriate for students.
“The idea that an LGBTQ student sees that it's OK to love yourself, whomever you are is fantastic,” Wade said. “But to be clear, all students, every single human person right now benefits from loving themselves and accepting themselves for whomever they are and for however they look.”
Wade called Van Hoek’s objection based on the book’s LGBTQ association “blatant homophobia,” while saying there is nothing about the LGBTQ community in the book itself.
She compared its themes to other children’s books that teach students about differences and self-acceptance.
Vice President Sara Jarman said she also researched the book after questions were raised about it.
Jarman said she could understand how some might make associations based on elements of the story but concluded doing so required reading more into the book than its content supported.
The district told the board the book was purchased to integrate literacy into a specials class, with students learning that everyone has unique talents and skills.
Jarman said that explanation was consistent with what she took from the book.
The disagreement broadened when Van Hoek raised the issue of parental choice over classroom materials.
She rejected Wade’s characterization of her objection as homophobic and said parents could reasonably object to what they see as messages associated with the book even if those messages are not explicit in the story.
Van Hoek said parents were not given an opportunity to decide whether their children should be exposed to the book in class.
“There are parents that are opposed to such content, and they don't have a choice to speak out when these books are purchased and in classroom reading and parents aren't given the option to opt out,” Van Hoek said.
Van Hoek acknowledged during the discussion that she did not know the intended use of the particular copy beyond the district’s explanation, and also did not know the grade in which it would be used nor the teacher who would use it.
She said she had read the book and researched it independently.
Wade pressed Van Hoek to identify what she considered a "subliminal" message within the story itself.
Van Hoek returned to the publisher’s use of the character in a campaign and argued the district has many other books from which it could choose.
Wade said her objection was not to parents or board members questioning books generally but to treating Elmer’s message of accepting differences as an LGBTQ agenda.
She said children routinely compare themselves with others and can struggle with accepting the ways in which they are different, making that a legitimate subject for children’s literature.
“There is no agenda in this book other than talking about an elephant who wishes to learn that they're OK,” Wade said.
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Meet Tom Tom Blodgett joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2022, when the company acquired Community Impact Newspaper's Phoenix-area properties. Raised in Arizona, he has spent more than 35 years in journalism in the state.
Community: He has served as an instructional professional in the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication since 2005, and is editorial adviser to The State Press, the university's independent student media outlet. He also is director of operations for an 18U girls fastpitch softball team from Gilbert.
Education: Arizona State University with a BS in Journalism.
Random Fact: He lived in Belgium during his freshman year of high school.
Hobbies: Tweeting enthusiastically about ASU softball (season-ticket holder) and grumpily about other local sports (pessimistic fan).
Higley Unified School District,
Elmer the Patchwork Elephant,
Anna Van Hoek,
Amanda Wade,
Sara Jarman,
Higley Governing Board,
classroom books,
parental rights,
school curriculum,
children’s books
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