DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa can enforce a law that restricts teachers from discussing LGBTQ+ topics with students in kindergarten through sixth grade and bans certain books in libraries and classrooms, an appellate court ruled on Monday.
The decision vacates previous injunctions on the law, allowing it to remain in effect while litigation continues.
Initially approved by Republican lawmakers and Governor Kim Reynolds in 2023, the law has faced numerous lawsuits from organizations including the Iowa State Education Association and LGBT advocacy groups.
The law was activated for part of the 2024-2025 school year until a federal judge imposed a temporary block on certain provisions last March. U.S. District Judge Stephen Locher had previously allowed bans on mandatory instruction about gender identity but deemed the language too broad in some respects.
Iowa requested the U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn both earlier decisions, which a panel of judges upheld on Monday.
“This is a significant win for Iowa parents,” stated Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, asserting that schools should be safe learning environments free from what she described as 'inappropriate sexual materials.'
Amidst a wave of similar legislation across the country, Iowa's new education policy has raised concerns among educators and civil rights advocates who argue that it infringes on First Amendment rights and limits students' access to diverse literary materials.
Critics argue that the law broadly prohibits any materials portraying sexual acts, potentially infringing on educational content broadly. In defending the law, the state argued it provides clarity in maintaining age-appropriate educational resources.
The court agreed with the state's position that school libraries could be part of the educational curriculum but acknowledged that the law's implications for students’ rights will lead to further legal scrutiny.
Furthermore, provisions enforcing parental notifications when children transition identities at school remain controversial, emphasized by Lambda Legal's senior attorney, Nathan Maxwell, who stated that the fight is not concluded and that legal avenues will continue to be explored to safeguard LGBTQ+ youth.
