ACLU, Missouri library groups sue over new school book law

By MARGARET STAFFORD
Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri and two library associations are suing over a new Missouri law that bans sexually explicit material from schools. In a lawsuit filed Thursday, the ACLU argues that the law violates the due process rights of school librarians and other school officials, who face up to a year in jail or a $2,000 fine for violating the policy. The lawsuit contends that the policy’s language is too vague and violates librarians’ and students’ civil rights. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of the Missouri Association of School Librarians and the Missouri Library Association, asks the Jackson County Circuit Court to find the law unconstitutional or clarify how and when it would be applied.