THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION OF IOWA HAS FILED A FEDERAL LAWSUIT THAT SEEKS TO OVERTURN PARTS OF A NEW STATE LAW THAT FORBIDS INSTRUCTION ABOUT SEXUAL ORIENTATION IN ELEMENTARY CLASSROOMS.
IT ALSO REQUIRES SCHOOLS TO REMOVE BOOKS WITH GRAPHIC SEXUAL CONTENT.
THE LAWSUIT IS FILED ON BEHALF OF IOWA SAFE SCHOOLS, A GROUP THAT ADVOCATES FOR L-G-B-T-Q YOUTH, AND SEVEN FAMILIES WITH STUDENTS IN IOWA SCHOOLS.
BERRY STEVENS, AN 8TH GRADE STUDENT IN WEST DES MOINES, SPOKE DURING AN ONLINE NEWS CONFERENCE ABOUT THE LAWSUIT.
ACLUSUIT1 OC…..:ESPECIALLY IN BOOKS.” :14
THOMAS STORY, STAFF ATTORNEY FOR THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION OF IOWA, SAYS THE STATE LAW VIOLATES FREE SPEECH AND EQUAL PROTECTION PROVISIONS IN THE U-S CONSTITUTION.
ACLUSUIT2 OC…INTO CHAOS. :11
LAMBDA LEGAL, WHICH REPRESENTED SAME-SEX COUPLES WHO SUCCESSFULLY SUED FOR THE RIGHT TO MARRY IN IOWA, IS ALSO REPRESENTING THE STUDENTS AND PARENTS WHO’VE FILED THIS LAWSUIT.
GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS ISSUED A STATEMENT SAYING PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM PORNOGRAPHY AND SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT SHOULD NOT BE CONTROVERSIAL, AND THAT THE REAL CONTROVERSY IS THAT IT EXISTS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
REYNOLDS SAYS BOOKS WITH GRAPHIC DEPICTIONS OF SEX ACTS HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO PLACE IN IOWA SCHOOLS.
