Friend –

We just filed a renewed request to strike down harmful provisions of SF 496, known as Iowa's book ban and don't-say-LGBTQ law. We were able to get a preliminary injunction in federal court last summer, but the appeals court lifted the injunction with instructions that, among other things, a new U.S. Supreme Court decision must be considered.

It's all part of our lawsuit with Lambda Legal, Iowa Safe Schools, and a number of students and teachers who have been impacted by the law. The book ban/don't-say-LGBTQ law was enacted in May and has resulted in the removal of thousands of books from Iowa public schools, among them many award winners and classics, including those by Nobel Prize winners Toni Morrison and William Faulkner.

The law also created a chilling environment where students and teachers are afraid to talk about LGBTQ issues, or even about members of their own families or themselves.

Nondiscrimination and students' right to receive information at school are both at issue in this important case. These are fundamental to democracy and core to what we do. You can rest assured that we'll keep working to protect them in our state.

With gratitude,

Mark Stringer
Executive Director, ACLU of Iowa