Utah's legislative culture warriors have scored another victory on the banned books front.
(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Highland High School Library Archive, September 27, 2022. The books were moved from the library to the basement in 2021.
Public education remains a major battleground in Utah's culture wars. In a February Salt Lake Tribune op-ed, five former Utah school district superintendents wrote, “If the governor and legislators persist in restricting diversity of opinion, canceling DEI programs, and banning books, “Public and higher education institutions are unable to achieve the desired results.” They also criticized the state Legislature's majority for pursuing a negative agenda based on hearsay unsupported by evidence or research. During the 2024 legislative session, Utah's culture warriors asserted their superiority on all three fronts identified by educators.
On March 18, Utah's legislative culture warriors scored a major victory on the anti-book front, with Gov. Spencer Cox signing HB29. This law gave his 10% of Utah school districts and charter schools the power to remove books from public school libraries across the state. Books judged by this minority to contain “objectively sensitive material or subjectively sensitive material” (pornographic or obscene content lacking “literary, artistic, political or scientific value for minors”) , which can be easily banned across the state.
HB374, passed in March 2022, already allowed the public to request a review of a book's “sensitive content.” The results continued as expected. By the fall semester, Utah ranked fourth in the nation for the number of banned books. The Davis School District was forced to investigate 129 of her assignments, and 38 books were removed from the district system. In the Granite School District, six people challenged to gain access to her 94 books. Recently enacted, HB29 provides a highly amplified bullhorn to a small number of challengers.
All parents have the right and obligation to educate their children morally and socially. All parents have the right to protect their children from books, pornography, and other objectionable content that they deem to be age-inappropriate. But in our pluralistic, democratic republic, should a few activist parents have the right to deprive other parents' children of access to books?
Banning books is no substitute for parental guidance. Informed, honest, and respectful interactions between children and parents about what they read and access online are far better moral and social education. This is the format.
It is nearly impossible to protect high school students from content that parents deem inappropriate. Most adolescents have access to a computer. Search Google for the topic “books banned in Utah schools.” The first link includes “His 52 Books Banned from Alpine School District (UT).”
City Books (Pittsburgh), the enterprising bookseller behind this site, has posted all 52 of the school district's banned book covers. A brief synopsis of each book is included. Example: If you click on the cover photo for book number 52, Lessons of Revenge, you will see that the novel is:A story about magic and two girls who are dangerously trying to unearth their pasts. [sic]”
This site offers free shipping and discounted prices on each of 52 books. Would booksellers maintain such sites and offer such bargains if such practices were not profitable?
If you know the book is banned, the ban can backfire. High school students are very interested. Common sense suggests that at least one study shows that a book's readership is likely to increase when it is known that the book is banned. City Books is just one of the sellers offering curious and sometimes rebellious teens easy access to such forbidden fruit.
Book bans increase mistrust among students, parents, teachers, librarians, education administrators, and public officials. If you are worried about what your child is reading, be a loving parent. Listen to them, follow their interests, and include them in discussions about your own beliefs and values.
Andrew BigelandPhD, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Seattle University, where he taught political philosophy, law, medical ethics, and logic. He held the Piggott McCone Chair in the Humanities. He lives in Salt Lake City.
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