Inside Voices: Who should decide which books are banned in Utah?

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Earlier this summer, the Utah State Board of Education ordered the removal of 13 book titles from every public school to comply with a new state law. The news spread fast, attracting criticism and support across the state and nation.

I wanted to hear what Utahns thought about book bans. Specifically, I want to know who — and how – decisions like these should be made. Here’s a sample of what you said:

• “As a teacher who is also a parent, I support the selection of age appropriate content for school libraries,” writes Eric in Smithfield. “I feel like the phrase ‘book banning’ is misleading because the books are still available through many other avenues (including local public libraries) if a student really wants to read them. School libraries, which cater only to a very specific age group, should contain content that is appropriate for that age group.”

• “I’m a librarian, and I’ve been doing some research about how people talk about libraries,” writes Amy in Salt Lake City. “One common story is about finding a life-changing book. Often, such books are about gender identity, religion, politics, racism or some other topic that the reader’s family was afraid to talk about. The fear of book banners seems to be that teachers and librarians are handing kids inappropriate books, and really they are not. However, migrating from the YA section of the library to books for grown-ups is a rite of passage. Mature, well-educated readers can pick their own books.”

• “[It should be] a collaboration between parents and the district with minor teacher input,” writes Teresa in Taylorsville. “Giving teachers too much control means potential for bias — including books that reflect their lifestyle or ideology. Teachers want too much control over other people’s kids under the guise of ‘helping’ kids with socialization. I was in Taylorsville High School where I found a book called ‘Gender Queer’ on the bookshelf. It’s disgustingly graphic and pornographic. I brought the vice principal to see it … he took photos and said he’d ‘take care of it.’ That book should absolutely be banned.”

• “Children need to be exposed to differing perspectives to become discerning adults, and books are one of the best and safest ways to make that happen,” writes Thom in Murray. “‘Protecting’ children from conflicting opinions simply condemns them to weakness later when confronted with real world dilemmas and disagreements. If a family’s, or even community’s, values and beliefs are so fragile that they cannot withstand challenge and examination, that is perhaps the surest sign they are sorely in need of it. As recent years have demonstrated, you don’t have to believe everything you read, but you need to be aware it is out there and that others do.”

• “As an educator I feel that schools should make smart decisions about what books they have available to students at the elementary, middle and high school levels that are age appropriate,” writes Mariah in Millcreek. “However, banning books is not the answer. You need to trust teachers and parents to monitor their own students’ book choices. These broad guidelines are too hard for teachers to manage and take away student choice, which is crucial in getting kids to read.”

• “The book bans are ridiculous, the only thing they are worried about is sex,” writes Laura in Salt Lake City. “Violence is fine. More often than not the books being banned represent LBGTQ+ characters or people of color. Utah is no longer all white, straight, Mormon students. We have rich diversity and should embrace this rather than isolate these students more.”

• “I think there are some books that can be considered dangerous if they are made popular again (for example, things Hitler wrote),” writes Erin in Sandy. “All these people clutching their pearls because an adult topic is covered in a teen book have forgotten that the internet exists. I would much rather my kid read a book than find potentially damaging content on the internet.”

I’m curious: Was there a book you read as a child that challenged your beliefs or changed your perspective? Tell me about it.

Utah Voices

The following excerpts come from op-eds recently published in The Tribune.

• “Utah’s own environmental crises — air pollution and desiccation of the Great Salt Lake — could become the humiliation of Salt Lake’s Winter Olympics in 2034 if we don’t act now,” writes Edwin R. Stafford, a marketing professor in Utah. Read more.

• “For African Americans, the significance of Labor Day goes far beyond the celebration of labor itself; it is a history rooted in enslavement, resilience and the unyielding spirit of freedom and entrepreneurship,” writes Robert S. Burch Jr. Read more.

• “The expertise housed in leading research institutions like the University of Utah remains foundational to our state’s welfare and the nation’s security,” writes Michael Christopher Low, the Director of the University of Utah’s Middle East Center. Read more.

• “Utah is unlikely to ever run on Dunkin’, but allow me to convince you that it can at least trot on Dunkin’,” writes comedian Brian Higgins. Read more.

• “If the amendment is approved, the Legislature would effectively enshrine in the Constitution its authority to nullify all citizen initiatives,” write Mormon Women for Ethical Government members Melarie Wheat and Leslie Zabriskie. Read more.

• “The Games bring together athletes who push the boundaries of human performance, and the humanities should similarly strive for international excellence, balancing tradition with innovation,” write Scott Black and Robert Carson from the University of Utah. Read more.

• “My neighbors and I stay in this valley in spite of its raw nature because we love it, knowing the same forces that created the beauty are the same forces that could displace us,” writes Terry Tempest Williams. Read more.

Share Your Perspective

Are you a young voter — between the ages of 18 and 30 — in Utah? Let me know what matters most to you.

From Bagley’s Desk

I’m always looking for unique perspectives, ideas and solutions that move our state forward. Learn more about our guidelines for an op-ed, guest essay, letter to the editor and more here, and drop me a note at voices@sltrib.com.