The Utah state school board on Friday ordered the removal of 13 book titles from every public school in the state, in accordance with a new law passed earlier this year.
The Utah State Board of Education list’s publication comes only weeks before the new school year will begin. Districts and charter schools must now dispose of the following titles, marking a historical first for the state.
These books are now banned from all Utah public schools:
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“Blankets” by Craig Thompson.
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“A Court of Frost and Starlight” by Sarah J. Maas.
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“A Court of Mist and Fury” by Sarah J. Maas.
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“A Court of Silver Flames” by Sarah J. Maas.
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“A Court of Thorns and Roses” by Sarah J. Maas.
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“A Court of Wings and Ruin” by Sarah J. Maas.
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“Empire of Storms” by Sarah J. Maas.
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“Fallout” by Ellen Hopkins.
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“Forever” by Judy Blume.
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“Milk and Honey” by Rupi Kaur.
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“Oryx & Crake” by Margaret Atwood.
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“Tilt” by Ellen Hopkins.
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“What Girls Are Made Of” by Elana K. Arnold.
How were the books banned statewide?
The books on this list had already been banned by select school districts and charters, but because of the new law signed by Gov. Spencer Cox in March, they will now be banned statewide.
The law, which went into effect July 1, requires that a book be removed from all public schools in the state if at least three school districts (or two school districts and five charter schools) determine it amounts to “objective sensitive material” — pornographic or otherwise indecent content, as defined by Utah code.
Since the law applied retroactively, school districts and charters were asked to reevaluate the books that they had already decided to ban before July 1 using the state’s new “objective sensitive” criteria, a standard that did not exist before.
Utah State Board of Education members then had a chance to decide against instituting a statewide ban for each title that ultimately met the threshold for a statewide ban, which board leadership will continue to be able to do should more titles be subject to statewide removal.
To do so, “three or more” USBE leaders have 30 days to request that the material be placed on a board meeting agenda, so leaders can vote on whether or not to “overturn” the statewide removal requirement.
If no hearing is held, the statewide removal automatically stands.
This is a developing story.