A judge overturned a previous injunction August 9th on a recent Iowa law banning certain books in public school classrooms, allowing the law to take effect.
Gov. Kim Reynolds weighed in on the decision: “Today, the US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit confirmed what we already knew – it should be parents who decide when and if sexually-explicit books are appropriate for their children. Here in Iowa, we will continue to focus on excellence in education and partnerships with parents and educators.”
The injunction impacted Senate File 496, a sweeping education bill that, in part, imposed restrictions on “age-appropriate materials.” Specifically, books that contain “descriptions or visual depictions of a sex act” were required to be removed from school libraries.
The ACLU of Iowa called the law damaging and unconstitutional: “Iowa families, and especially LGBTQ+ students who will again face bullying, intimidation, and censorship as they return for a new school year, are deeply frustrated and disappointed by this delay. 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.”
Do you think that banning books containing descriptions or visual depictions of sex acts is the right thing to do in public schools?