Publishing industry heavy-hitters sue Iowa over state’s new school book-banning law

By MARGERY A. BECK
Associated Press

The nation’s largest publisher is suing over Iowa’s new law that bans public school libraries and classrooms from having practically any book that depicts sexual activity. Thursday’s lawsuit is the second in the past week to challenge the law, which bans books with sexual content all the way through 12th grade. An exception is allowed for religious texts. Also part of the lawsuit are the Iowa teachers union and bestselling novelists Jodi Picoult and John Green. They all say the law violates the U.S. Constitution’s free speech rights. The law went into effect this fall after Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds signed it in May.