The nationwide spotlight on illicit and explicit materials in our kids’ schools has been shining on Utah particularly lately, culminating in Representative Ken Ivory’s Sensitive Materials in Schools bill, HB374 That bill passed in March 2022, and now the ball is in the state Board’s court.
Explicit Materials in Schools
The Battle at the Utah State Board of Education
What you’re listening to is comment on the current battle over what kinds of explicit materials the state will allow kids in schools to be subjected to.
Two competing policies on school materials go head-to-head this Friday May 5 in the USBE Law & Licensing Committee at 9:00am.
Read both policies for yourself: Member Cline’s draft vs. Member Lear’s draft
Only one of these policies creates whole-system accountability for explicit materials in schools.
Only one of these policies provides a fair, detailed process for considering and reviewing materials according to Utah law.
Only one of these policies protects kids from materials that should never have been on the bookshelves in the first place.
Contact Board members Matt Hymas, Randy Boothe, Carol Lear, Natalie Cline, and Cindy Davis to let them know that they should support Member Cline’s draft if they support safeguarding children.
Utah Assistant Attorney General memo to Utah school districts on library materials:
