Iowa can now enforce all parts of SF 496 — commonly known as the “don’t say gay” bill because of its provisions prohibiting references to LGBTQ topics in K-6 schools, requiring written parental permission to use a student’s preferred pronouns or name if it is does not match the gender listed in school records, and […]
Iowa State Education Association
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Foreseeing ‘irreparable harm,’ federal judge blocks most of Iowa’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law with preliminary injunction
A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction late on Thursday, blocking parts of the anti-LGBTQ education bill signed into law by Gov. Kim Reynolds in May 2023. SF 496 attracted nationwide attention for its school book ban provision, but it went well beyond that, making changes to state law to effectively erase almost any acknowledgment […]
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All of the ‘Big 5’ publishers are now suing Iowa over its school book ban
All of the “Big 5” publishing houses are now suing Iowa to overturn the state’s school book ban signed into law by Gov. Kim Reynolds in May 2023. Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins Publishers, MacMillan Publishing Group and Simon & Schuster have joined Penguin Random House as plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit challenging the book ban. […]
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Appeals court lets SF 496, Iowa’s infamous book ban and ‘don’t say gay’ law, go into effect
When Iowa students return to school later this month, they may notice books, including important works of literature, have disappeared from library shelves, and younger students will find certain topics can no longer be discussed in their classrooms. That’s because on Friday, a three-judge panel of the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals lifted the preliminary […]
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Judges reject requests from Iowa City and Des Moines school districts for injunctions against Reynolds’ school mandates
Judges in Johnson County and Polk County denied requests from school districts for temporary injunctions blocking the state from enforcing Gov. Kim Reynolds’ mandate that schools provide at least 50 percent in-person instruction, unless the Iowa Department of Education (DOE) decides the spread of COVID-19 in a school district is severe enough to allow more […]
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Gov. Kim Reynolds orders schools to prioritize in-person class, throwing a wrench in some districts’ plans
Gov. Kim Reynolds emphasized the importance of bringing kids back to school in the fall during her press conference Friday morning, shortly before she signed a new public health proclamation that says Iowa schools must prioritize in-person learning. The proclamation comes on the same day Iowa reported its highest single-day increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases. […]
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In packed statehouse, protesters oppose proposed changes to collective bargaining
With protesters filling the rotunda of the Iowa Capitol Monday night, speakers at a packed public hearing for collective bargaining legislation overwhelmingly voiced their opposition to proposals that would strip away public employees’ collective bargaining rights.
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Iowa senators supported DeVos in historic confirmation tie-breaker
Iowa’s two Republican senators cast their votes Tuesday supporting Betsy DeVos as the nation’s education secretary in a confirmation decision that turned into an historic tie, requiring Vice President Mike Pence to cast the tie-breaking vote. Both Iowa senators released statements Tuesday explaining their votes. The statements avoided direct comment on questions of DeVos’ qualifications […]
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School vouchers, wages, collective bargaining and other issues on the minds of Iowa legislators
As the Iowa Legislature opened for business on Monday, legislators talked about a number of issues they anticipate seeing move forward this session — for better or for worse. School Vouchers Although House Minority Leader Mark Smith (D-Marshalltown) praised Republicans’ promise to provide supplemental aid to Iowa public schools within the first 30 days of […]
