(Radio Iowa) – A federal appeals court heard arguments Tuesday in two cases concerning the legality of an Iowa law that bans books with sexual content in school libraries. The law also restricts lessons relating to gender identity and sexual orientation. Federal rulings previously blocked the enforcement of most of the law, which passed in 2023. Thomas Story, a lawyer for the A-C-L-U of Iowa, told reporters after the hearing that the law is too vague.

Story says, “They failed to give teachers and students any clear rules and because they unconstitutionally infringe upon LGBTQ students’ rights to express themselves and to join together in GSAs.” G-S-As are school clubs that support L-G-B-T-Q students. An appeals court ruling could take months. “I can tell you that we will never stop fighting for the rights of Iowa students and for the rights of Iowa teachers,” Story says, “and for the rights of everybody to be subject to laws that have clear standards and not be subject to the arbitrary decision-making of elected officials.”

A lawyer for the state says prior court rulings support the law, and parents have a right to know what their children are doing in school.