A federal appeals court has ruled that Iowa can enforce a book ban this school year.
A district judge’s earlier decision that temporarily halted key parts of the law, including a ban on books depicting sex acts in school libraries and classrooms, has been overturned by the U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.
In 2023, the law was approved by the Republican-led Legislature and GOP Gov. Kim Reynolds. It also includes a provision that prohibits teachers from discussing gender identity and sexual orientation topics with younger students.
According to Reynolds, the recent ruling affirms the importance of allowing parents to make decisions regarding the suitability of sexually explicit books for their children.
In November, LGBTQIA+ youth, teachers, and major publishers filed a lawsuit to permanently overturn a law that they argue led to the removal of numerous books from Iowa schools. Fortunately, U.S. District Judge Stephen Locher intervened in December and halted its enforcement.
“This victory ensures age-appropriate books and curriculum in school classrooms and libraries,” Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird said in a statement. “With this win, parents will no longer have to fear what their kids have access to in schools when they are not around.”
According to the students’ attorneys, schools have taken actions such as removing books with LGBTQ+ themes from libraries, shutting down related extracurricular clubs, and taking down pride flags from classrooms. Attorneys for the plaintiffs revealed that students were compelled to withhold information about their gender identities and sexual orientations.
“Denying LGBTQ+ youth the chance to see themselves represented in classrooms and books sends a harmful message of shame and stigma that should not exist in schools,” plaintiffs’ attorneys Lambda Legal, the ACLU of Iowa, and Jenner & Block said in a joint statement.
The state of Iowa’s attorneys assert that the law is constitutional and that the state has the authority to enforce it.
Iowa passed its law amidst a surge of comparable legislation across the country. Republican lawmakers often introduce these laws, stating that their purpose is to uphold parents’ rights and safeguard children. There are laws that aim to restrict certain discussions, treatments, and restroom usage. Many have initiated several court challenges.
Source: The Associated Press