Report: “Utah Students Can No Longer Bring Personal Copies of Banned Books to School”

From KUER:

There are already certain things Utah schools prohibit students from bringing to campus — like certain electronics, vaping devices or rollerblades.

Now, according to updated guidance from the Utah State Board of Education, banned books [14 titles on the list in Utah] have been added to that list. This change was not due to action by board members. Instead, it is staff members’ interpretation of the law.

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According to the state board’s updated FAQ, any books banned statewide are prohibited on any school property. Similarly, those banned by a local school district for being “sensitive material” are prohibited on any of that district’s school grounds.

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Gretchen Zaitzeff, president of the Utah School Library Association, said she’s concerned about how schools will interpret this and students potentially being punished for bringing a book to school.

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Filed under: Libraries, News, School Libraries