I couldn’t be more proud to be a member of the Board of Directors for the ACLU of Iowa!
These laws are incredibly dangerous and will cause harm. They must be overturned.
The ACLU of Iowa staff is beyond brilliant and dedicated to protecting our rights.
It shouldn’t have had to come to this, but I’m thankful for the ACLU and Lamda Legal.
#StoptheBan #ReadBooks #lgbtqia #CivilRights #HumanRights #Iowa
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ACLU of Iowa and Lambda Legal File Lawsuit to Block Banned Books and “Don’t Say LGBTQ” Law
The lawsuit represents seven families throughout the state and the non-profit Iowa Safe Schools, which supports LGBTQ students. “This law creates a toxic and dangerous environment that puts students at risk of harm, bullying, violence, and even suicide.”
SF 496 is a law with wide-ranging implications for students’ academic experience, safe school climate, and mental health. The lawsuit challenges multiple portions of the law that target LGBTQ+ youth and require school districts to ban books, including the following provisions:
The law forbids “any program, curriculum, test, survey, questionnaire, promotion, or instruction relating to gender identity or sexual orientation” in grades K-6. This prohibition has frightened LGBTQ+ young people into concealing who they are for fear of violating the law or getting a teacher in trouble. This provision has caused school districts to take down safe space stickers, remove references to LGBTQ historical figures from library displays, and ban books with LGBTQ themes or characters from libraries and classrooms. This provision also has forced student groups for LGBTQ+ students and their allies to stop meeting entirely.
The law requires public schools K-12 to remove all books containing “descriptions or visual depictions of a sex act” with the explicit exception of the Bible. This portion of the law has caused school districts to remove hundreds of titles from school libraries. School districts have interpreted this provision as requiring the removal of classics from authors such as James Joyce, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Alice Walker, and many others.
The law requires school counselors and other school employees to report to parents or guardians any student’s request for a gender-affirming accommodation, including any request to be addressed by particular pronouns. This forced outing provision requires disclosure of a student’s gender identity to the student’s parents or guardians regardless of whether a school official knows that the report will expose the student to potential family rejection, being kicked out, or physical abuse.
Together with the ACLU of Iowa and the law firm Jenner & Block, we’re suing the state of Iowa on behalf of seven families throughout the state and the non-profit Iowa Safe Schools to permanently block provisions of SF 496 — the “Don’t Say LGBTQ” and book ban law.
Schools should be safe spaces for everyone to learn and thrive, but laws like SF 496 are sending the opposite message that LGBTQ+ kids are too shameful to be acknowledged and not welcome in the classroom.
But let's be clear: We will NOT be silenced. We will not stop fighting until everyone has the legal protection to be and SAY who they are.
Iowa, we’ll see you in court. Read more at https://lnkd.in/gbkdB3x6.
#ProtectLGBTQYouth #LGBTQRights #LGBTQ #Lawsuit
Associate Attorney at Michael Best & Friedrich LLP.
3moGreat cause with a great team!