CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – After their first injunction blocking the book ban was vacated to a lower court in August, a judge in the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals said they needed to prove a few things before claiming it’s unconstitutional.
Now, the ACLU says they’ve done just that.
They argue the law is too vague. It prohibits books discussing sexual orientation or gender identity before the 6th grade, and books depicting sex acts in any grade.
The ACLU says it unfairly targets LGBTQ+ teachers and students.
The case also features a new plaintiff – a 4th grade teacher. He says the law’s vagueness has forced him back into hiding.
“In 2023 after senate file 496 became law, I was told by my administrator that I was prohibited from mentioning my husband in the presence of students. This was the hammer coming down on me all LGBTQ+ educators feared.” said Dan Gutmann, one of the plaintiffs.
In addition, the ACLU, Lambda Legal, and Gutmann argue that because the law is so vague, schools are forced to lose valuable material over fear that if may not meet the law’s standards.
The state has 30 days to respond to the appeal, and if the ACLU proves its case, Iowa’s book ban will be blocked for the second time.
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