A Utah school district in the United States has recently implemented a ban on the use of the Bible for elementary and middle school students due to concerns that it may contain material deemed vulgar or violent. The decision came after parents expressed agitation and demanded the prohibition of the Bible within that particular district, citing its unsuitability for young readers. The Davis district, located north of Salt Lake City and accommodating approximately 72,000 students, had no choice but to comply with the pressure from these parents and enforce the ban on reading the Bible in its schools.
Prior to the ban, a committee comprising parents, teachers, and administrators was formed to assess the contents of the Bible. Following their evaluation, the committee decided to remove the Bible from the district's reading materials. The decision-making process was documented in an online database of review requests, but the committee did not elaborate on the specific reasons for the ban or indicate which passages were considered excessively violent or vulgar.
In addition to the Bible, the district has also eliminated the Book of Mormon from the libraries of younger students, as a review request was filed to have it removed as well. Furthermore, the district has taken action to remove other titles, such as Sherman Alexie's 'The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian' and John Green's 'Looking for Alaska,' in accordance with a state law implemented in 2022. This law mandates that districts involve parents in decisions regarding what materials are classified as 'sensitive.'
The decision to ban the Bible in the district aligns with the current trend of conservative parent activists, including local chapters of the group Parents United, who have been actively engaging school boards and state legislatures across the United States. These activists express concern over how topics related to sex and violence are addressed within educational institutions.
Due to the district's privacy policy, it remains unknown who specifically requested the Bible ban in Davis schools or whether they have any affiliations with larger organizations. However, a copy of the complaint obtained through a public records request by The Salt Lake Tribune sheds light on the reasoning behind the request. The parent who lodged the complaint pointed out instances of incest, prostitution, and rape within the Bible, criticizing what they perceived as a flawed decision-making process and accusing the district of relinquishing their children's education, First Amendment rights, and library access to Parents United.
According to district spokesperson Chris Williams, the review committee determined that the Bible did not meet Utah's definition of what is considered pornographic or indecent material. As a result, the Bible remains accessible to high school students. Williams further explained that under the new state law implemented in 2022, the committee has the authority to make independent decisions and can apply varying standards based on the ages of the students in response to multiple challenges.
