A FEDERAL JUDGE HAS RULED AGAINST AN IOWA LAW TO PROHIBIT INAPPROPRIATE BOOKS IN K-6 SCHOOLS IN THE STATE.
JUDGE STEPHEN LOCHER RULED LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON TO TEMPORARILY BLOCK THE PROVISIONS OF SENATE FILE 496 THAT REQUIRE THE REMOVAL OF BOOKS FROM SCHOOL LIBRARIES DEEMED OFFENSIVE BECAUSE OF THEIR SEXUAL CONTENT.
IOWA ATTORNEY GENERAL BRENNA BIRD RELEASED A STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO THE RULING SAYING SHE WAS DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED IN THE DISTRICT COURT’S DECISION.
BIRD SAYS SEXUALLY EXPLICIT BOOKS DO NOT BELONG IN IOWA’S ELEMENTARY-SCHOOL LIBRARIES OR CLASSROOMS.
GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS SAYS THERE SHOULD BE NO QUESTION THAT BOOKS CONTAINING SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT AS CLEARLY DEFINED IN IOWA LAW DO NOT BELONG IN A SCHOOL LIBRARY FOR CHILDREN.
SHE SAYS THE REAL DEBATE SHOULD BE ABOUT WHY SOCIETY IS SO INTENT ON OVER-SEXUALIZING OUR YOUNG CHILDREN, WHICH SHE SAYS IS WRONG.
NATHAN MAXWELL, SENIOR ATTORNEY FOR LAMBDA LEGAL, WHICH FILED THE LAWSUIT,SAYS IOWA FAMILIES AND STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THE SCHOOL YEAR FREE FROM THE HARMS CAUSED BY WHAT HE CALLS AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL LAW,
HE SAYS THE DECISION SENDS A STRONG MESSAGE TO THE STATE THAT EFFORTS TO BAN BOOKS BASED ON LGBTQ+ CONTENT CANNOT STAND.
THE COURT DENIED IN PART THE MOTION FOR A PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION OF THE BILL THAT REQUIRES SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO NOTIFY PARENTS IF A STUDENT REQUESTS AN ACCOMMODATION RELATING TO GENDER IDENTITY.
THAT PROVISION OF THE LAW REMAINS IN EFFECT AND FULLY ENFORCEABLE.
