13 books removed from all public school libraries in Utah
Aug 3, 2024, 11:07 AM
FILE - Library at Tooele High School on March 20, 2023. (Scott G. Winterton, Deseret News)
(Scott G. Winterton, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — Thirteen books will be taken off the shelves at every public school library in Utah after the State Board of Education ordered their removal Friday.
The move comes on the heels of the passing of HB29 during the 2024 legislative session.
The bill — sponsored by Rep Ken Ivory, R-West Jordan — allows for removal of challenged books from schools statewide if officials in three school districts (or two districts and three charter schools) decide the material violates state law and should be removed from their schools.
That became a reality Friday for these 13 titles (including six from the same author):
- “A Court of Thorns and Roses” by Sarah J. Maas
- “A Court of Mist And Fury” by Sarah J. Maas
- “A Court of Frost and Starlight” by Sarah J. Maas
- “A Court of Silver Flames” by Sarah J. Maas
- “A Court of Wings and Ruin” by Sarah J. Maas
- “Empire of Storms” by Sarah J. Maas
- “What Girls are Made Of” by Elana K. Arnold
- “Milk and Honey” by Rupi Kaur
- “Forever” by Judy Blume
- “Tilt” by Ellen Hopkins
- “Fallout” by Ellen Hopkins
- “Oryx and Crake” by Margaret Atwood
- “Blankets” by Craig Thompson
Alpine, Davis, Jordan, Nebo and Washington County school districts removed the titles, which ultimately led to statewide removal. Some titles were removed by four districts while the rest were removed by only three.
The districts deemed the titles contained “objective sensitive material,” which means pornographic or indecent content as defined in the bill’s language.
How did Utah get here?
Ivory said in February, that HB29 was meant to clarify HB374, the controversial law approved by lawmakers in 2022 that created guidelines for removal from schools of books with sexually explicit content.
“It is time that we get behind protecting children in our schools, that it is a place of safety and decency for all children,” Ivory said when the bill passed.
“Illicit pornography is often graphic, X-rated descriptions or depictions of sexual acts that are designed to arouse and excite people. We’re not trying to ban books simply because sexuality is mentioned or a sexual encounter is briefly described,” Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, said in Senate debate before the bill’s passing.
While the House eventually voted 52-18 to approve the legislation in February, it was highly controversial and hotly contested.
