Federal appeals court weighs challenge to Iowa ban on books with sexual content from schools

By STEVE KARNOWSKI
Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Attorneys for LGBTQ+ youth, teachers and major publishers have asked a federal appeals court to affirm a lower court order that blocked key parts of an Iowa law banning books depicting sex acts from school libraries and classrooms. The law being considered Tuesday also forbids teachers from raising gender identity and sexual orientation issues with younger students. The Republican-led Legislature approved the law last year. It resulted in the removal of hundreds of books from Iowa schools before a federal judge blocked it in December. Attorneys for the state argued Tuesday the law is constitutional and that the state has a right to enforce it.