A number of families are suing to overturn a new Iowa law that prohibits books from being kept in school libraries, prohibits teachers from bringing up LGBTQ+ issues, and in certain situations requires teachers to disclose students’ gender identities to their parents.
The law, which was passed earlier this year by the Republican-led legislature and put into effect this fall, “seeks to silence LGBTQ+ students, erase any recognition of LGBTQ+ people from public schools, and ban books with sexual or LGBTQ+ content,” according to a federal lawsuit filed on Tuesday by Lambda and the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa.
According to the law, teachers are not allowed to discuss gender identity and sexual orientation issues with sixth-graders, and school administrators must inform parents when a student requests to change their name or pronouns. The Christian Bible and other religious texts are exempt from the law’s prohibition on books that depict sexual acts being kept in school libraries.
The lawsuit was brought on behalf of seven Iowa students, ages ranging from fourth to twelve grades, and their families, as well as Iowa Safe Schools, an organization that supports LGBTQ+ children. Its ultimate goal is to have the law ruled unconstitutional on the grounds that it violates the rights to equal protection and free speech of teachers and students, and it seeks an injunction to block the law while the lawsuit is pending in court.
Thomas Story of the ACLU stated, “Our state or our schools are not permitted by the first amendment to remove books or to impose general bans on discussion and materials just because some politicians or parents find them offensive.”
Governor Kim Reynolds of Iowa defended the legislation, saying it was “protecting children from pornography and sexually explicit material.”
Reynolds stated in a written statement that “books with graphic depictions of sex acts have absolutely no place in our schools.”
Puck Carlson, a senior at Iowa City High School and one of the plaintiffs, stated during an online press conference that the law is wreaking havoc on LGBTQ+ students in Iowa. Since the law’s implementation, she said, she has observed her younger LGBTQ+ sister struggle to feel safe in school.
“One of the primary reading environments for kids is school, and having access to literature that you can relate to is essential to a student’s self-discovery,” Carlson stated. For me, that is for sure. Thus, taking these books out of the classroom prevents students from finding their true selves and also makes people less visible.
Administrators, teachers, librarians, and other school employees will be subject to disciplinary action, which may include termination and loss of their state professional education license, as well as other penalties, starting on January 1st, in case the law is broken.
According to the ACLU, schools in Iowa have removed hundreds of books from their shelves in reaction to the law. There is content in many of the banned books that is especially pertinent to LGBTQ+ people.
LGBTQ+ students are deprived of the consolation of stories featuring LGBTQ+ characters and the knowledge that they are not alone because of the ban, according to the ACLU.
In Iowa and other states, Republicans have primarily supported laws that forbid teachers from bringing up gender identity and sexual orientation issues, limit the restrooms available to transgender students, and outlaw hormone therapy and puberty blockers for trans minors. Many are dealing with legal challenges.
Lawmakers who lean Republican claim that the measures uphold parents’ rights and safeguard children. In the competition for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, these issues have turned into hot buttons.