School District Considering Banning the Bible

Utah’s controversial book censorship law is causing a stir in schools across the state. Since the law was passed in 2022, dozens of books have been challenged for containing material that some deem inappropriate or pornographic.

The Davis School District, in particular, has received 81 requests to review books. One of the latest books to be requested for review is The Holy Bible.

According to the district spokesperson Chris Williams, the district has an eight-page policy that guides the selection and removal of materials across its 92 schools. Anyone who requests a book review must have standing, meaning they must be a student, a parent or guardian of a student, an employee, or a school board member.

Students, parents, and employees can only request a book review for their respective school.

The district has removed 33 books from its schools, while retaining approximately 30 books after reviewing them. A handful of books are still under review. Williams clarified that the district follows a thorough review process and doesn’t jump to conclusions. For instance, the district doesn’t dismiss any request for a book review, even if it thinks the request is silly.

Requesters can make their requests on the district’s website but must provide reasoning for the book’s removal. The request for The Holy Bible’s review, for instance, included 49 pages of Bible verses that could be considered inappropriate under the law.

Williams explained that the process has been time-consuming, with the district establishing 15 committees for this purpose. Currently, eight committees are still working on reviews. These are called Sensitive Materials Review Committees.

Under district policy, a committee cannot have less than seven people and must consist of an odd number of people for voting purposes. A committee must include one district administrator, a licensed teacher who is teaching English Language Arts, a librarian, and at least four parents who have children enrolled in one of the district’s schools.

The first obstacle a book under review must overcome is the definition of indecent public displays as outlined in the law. This includes a description of illicit sex or sexual immorality, among other things. If a book isn’t considered indecently sexual, the committee will also review it for harsh language, violence, and other references that may be inappropriate for a specific age.

Currently, the Bible is being reviewed under the same criteria. Williams said, “So, the committee is looking at that right now, looking at the law, seeing where it falls in the law that the legislature has put forth.” Ideally, the review process should be completed within 60 days. Williams wasn’t sure how many schools have a copy of the Bible. However, the district does have other religious texts, such as the Quran, Torah, and Book of Mormon.

If the Bible is found to be in violation of the law, it will be removed from all schools in the district, as was the case with the 33 previous books that were removed. The district has had a policy in place for years. Williams said, “A parent doesn’t have to go through this entire process of having a book reviewed if they don’t want their individual child to have access to it; they can simply call a school administrator.” A book that is under review is not removed from school shelves but is only removed if the committee finds it inappropriate.