Federal judge blocks enforcement of Iowa law banning pornographic books and LGBTQ+ topics in classes

A federal judge issued a ruling Friday that will temporarily block enforcement of an Iowa law that bans pornographic books from school libraries and prohibits teachers from raising LGBTQ+ issues.

The law, the Associated Press reports, was passed in early 2023 by the state’s Republican-led Legislature and Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds. It bans books depicting sex acts from school libraries and classrooms. It also blocks teachers in Iowa classrooms from discussing gender identity and sexual orientation issues with students through the sixth grade.

Judge Stephen Locher issued the preliminary injunction stopping enforcement of the law, which was set to take effect on Jan. 1. The ruling blocks both provisions of the law.