DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird has formally filed an appeal with the Iowa Supreme Court over an injunction placed on Gov. Kim Reynolds' sweeping education bill.
“When we send our kids to school, we trust that their innocence will be protected," Bird said in a statement. "I’m glad to say that we are today appealing the district court’s decision in order to uphold Iowa’s law that keeps sexually explicit books out of the hands of our kids in school."
The law, which was passed as SF496 in March 2023 and became law on July 1, 2023, restricted books in K-6 schools, changed the way Iowa districts handled gender and sexuality discussions in the classroom and much more.
However, on Dec. 29, District Judge Stephen H. Locher granted temporary injunctions relating to book restrictions, as well as limitations on "programs, promotion and instruction relating to gender identity and sexual orientation."
Locher denied an injunction for parts of the law, including the sections that require school districts to report a student's request to change their name or pronouns to their parents.
In that same ruling, Locher said the restrictions on school materials under the education law are "unlikely to satisfy the First Amendment under any standard of scrutiny," but Bird's statement claims "Iowa's law is clear".
“Sexually explicit books and materials have no place in our elementary school classrooms or libraries," Bird continued in her statement. "As a mom, I share parents’ concerns and remain committed to keeping our schools a safe place for kids to learn and grow. With this appeal, we will continue the fight to protect Iowa families and to uphold Iowa’s law in Court."
You can read the appeals below: