Utah Becomes First State to Ban Select Books Statewide

Utah has become the first state in the US to ban books from its schools statewide. The list of 13 titles to be removed from all public school libraries immediately includes works by popular authors Judy Blume, Sarah J Maas, and Margaret Atwood.

The law that allows the book bans went into effect July 1. The state announced the banned titles on August 2. All 13 works were deemed to contain “objective … or subjective sensitive material.” According to the law, that is defined as anything “pornographic or indecent,” as determined by school, district, or state officials.  

Under Utah’s new law, books can be banned for the entire state if they meet a set limit. That limit includes any book that's been banned in at least three public school districts. It can also qualify if it's been banned by two districts and at least five charter schools.  

Those in favor of the ban say it gives parents the chance to better monitor what their children read. "Children had access to this content without parental consent and now those books are being removed," Corinne Johnson told KUTV News. She's the president of Utah Parents United. The ban, she says, makes Utah's school libraries "age appropriate."

Many have spoken out against the banning. It will require school libraries to dispose of the books. The books cannot be sold or given away. “While the final guidance stops short of calling for book burning, the effect is the same," Katey Meehan of PEN America said in a statement. PEN America is a free-speech nonprofit. Meehan said it sends "a signal that some books are too dangerous and that the state has the authority to prohibit them. We disagree.” USBE board member Sarah Reale added on X that she’s “grateful (the list) isn’t as long as expected.”  

Here are the 13 banned titles:

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

Reflect: How do you think it affects students when certain books are removed from school libraries?