April 2, 2025
Federal Court Blocks Iowa’s Book Ban Law: A Victory for Authors
March 26, 2025
The Authors Guild celebrates a significant victory for free expression, as a federal court has granted a preliminary injunction blocking Iowa’s controversial Senate File 496, which requires schools to remove books containing “descriptions of sex acts” from their libraries. The court’s ruling in Penguin Random House v. Robbins et al. reinforces the First Amendment principles that we have successfully argued in similar cases in Texas, Arkansas, and Colorado: that laws categorically banning books from schools based on their content are a violation of free expression and students’ right to read.
We are proud to be among the plaintiffs in this important case, alongside publishers (Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins Publishing Group, Macmillan Publishing Group, and Simon & Schuster) and individual authors (Laurie Halse Anderson, John Green, Malinda Lo, and Jodi Picoult). Other plaintiffs include student Gracelyn Van Gundy (through her parent), the Iowa State Education Association, and educators Lisa Petrie and Emily House.
The Ruling’s Significance
Judge Stephen H. Locher of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa ruled that Senate File 496 likely violates the First Amendment rights of students, authors, and publishers. This preliminary injunction prevents Iowa officials from “enforcing or acting in furtherance of the provisions of Senate File 496 that require the removal of books from school libraries that are not ‘age-appropriate,'” pending further proceedings.
Judge Locher condemned how the law creates what he described as a “puritanical pall of orthodoxy” over school libraries, essentially concluding that no book containing a description of a sex act has redeeming value, regardless of whether it’s a historical work, self-help guide, or award-winning novel. The judge also pointed out the inconsistency in the law’s exemption of religious texts, noting that “even the Iowa Legislature does not believe all books involving sex acts are devoid of pedagogical value.”
More Than 600 Books Removed
Judge Locher’s opinion documents the devastating consequences of the law, which has already led to the removal of more than 600 books from Iowa school libraries. These include classics by authors such as James Joyce, Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, William Faulkner, Kurt Vonnegut, Aldous Huxley, George Orwell, and Alice Walker, alongside award-winning books by contemporary authors.
Books as Lifelines for Trauma Survivors
Judge Locher recognized that many of the banned books serve as crucial resources for vulnerable students. His opinion acknowledges that these works often “open eyes and hearts to the realities of life” and provide an essential lifeline for students who have experienced trauma. The court found that removing books describing sexual assault deprives survivors of seeing their experiences validated in literature.
Essential Tools for Healthy Development
According to Judge Locher’s findings, the banned books play a vital role in helping students develop critical life skills. The court determined that these works help young people recognize toxic relationships and make healthy decisions about their lives and relationships. The judge concluded that access to diverse literature is necessary for students’ academic development and understanding of complex social issues.
Undermining Educational Freedom
Judge Locher further describes how the law undermines educational freedom in ways that aren’t necessary to protect children. His opinion notes that school districts already had effective mechanisms in place before Senate File 496 was enacted to keep inappropriate materials away from students and to allow parents to restrict their children’s access to specific library materials. This finding directly contradicts the state’s justification for such sweeping censorship.
Constitutional Analysis
Judge Locher found Senate File 496 deficient under multiple constitutional standards, including both the “substantial and reasonable governmental interest” test and the “obscenity-light” standard for minors. The court noted that Iowa already had a law prohibiting the dissemination of obscene material to minors before Senate File 496 was enacted, making the new law’s sweeping restrictions unnecessary and unconstitutional.
The Path Forward
The Authors Guild expects the state to appeal this ruling to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. We will continue this important work fighting censorship and will update our members as the case progresses.
Read the full decision here (PDF).
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