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Iowa Safe Schools, et al v. Reynolds

Iowa Safe Schools, et al v. Reynolds

Status:

Open

Court:

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, Central Division

Issues:

Students' Rights

Clients:
  • GLBT Youth in Iowa Schools Task Force d/b/a/ Iowa Safe Schools
  • P.B.P., by his parent and next friend, Belinda Scarrott
  • P.C. and A.C., by their parents and next friends, Richard and Ulrike Carlson
  • T.S., by her parent and next friend, Eric Saylor
  • B.F.S., by their parents and next friends, Brigit and Joseph Stevens
  • Robert Smith, by his parents and next friends Jane and John Smith
  • B.F., by their parent and next friend, Lara Newsome
  • James Doe, by his parent and next friend, John Doe
Attorneys:

Lambda Legal

  • Nathan Maxwell, Senior Attorney
  • Camilla Taylor, Deputy Legal Director for Litigation
  • Karen Loewy, Senior Counsel and Director of Constitutional Law Practice
  • Kara Ingelhart, Senior Attorney
  • Sasha Buchert, Director of the Non-Binary and Transgender Rights Project

ACLU of Iowa

  • Rita Bettis Austen, Legal Director
  • Thomas D. Story, Staff Attorney
  • Shefali Aurora, Staff Attorney

Jenner & Block LLP

  • Laura J. Edelstein
  • Effiong Dampha
  • Daniel R. Echeverri
  • Katherine E. Mather
  • Joshua J. Armstrong
  • Anna K. Lyons
  • Christopher Blythe

Lambda Legal, the ACLU of Iowa, and the law firm Jenner & Block LLP filed a lawsuit in federal court to block provisions of SF 496, the sweeping Iowa law that seeks to silence LGBTQ+ students, erase any recognition of LGBTQ+ people from public schools, and bans books with sexual or LGBTQ+ content.

The law also requires teachers, counselors, school psychologists, and other staff to report students to their parents or guardians if a student asks to be referred to by names or pronouns that align with their gender identity. This reporting is required regardless of whether it violates a student’s expectation of confidentiality, professional ethical obligations, or whether the school official knows that the student would be rendered unsafe, kicked out of their home, or subject to abuse as a result.

The lawsuit is being brought on behalf of Iowa Safe Schools, a non-profit organization supporting LGBTQ and allied youth, and seven Iowa students and their families affected by the law. The students range from 4th to 12th graders and span the state.