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Last month, the Maya Angelou estate joined in a lawsuit filed against the state of Utah’s book banning law. The suit challenges the legality of Utah’s “sensitive materials” law, which had at that point banned 22 books from every public school in the state. Just days later, the state would add a 23rd title to the list, Bag of Bones by Stephen King.
This week, Utah has added four more books to its list of titles banned from every public school in the state, including an additional title by one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit. Those books are Breathless by Jennifer Niven, The Carnival at Bray by Jessie Ann Foley, The Handmaid’s Tale: The Graphic Novel by Margaret Atwood and illustrated by Renee Nault, and Red Hood by Elana K. Arnold (a party in the lawsuit against the state).
That brings the total to 27 books banned statewide.
Utah passed one of the strictest bills related to books in public schools in 2024. House Bill 29 (HB 29) allows parents to challenge books they deem “sensitive material” and it also outright bans books from all public schools in the state if those books have been deemed “objective sensitive material” or “pornographic” per state code in at least three public school districts or two public school districts and five charter schools statewide. The bill went into effect July 1, 2024, and it started with 13 titles on it.
The bill is retroactive, meaning that titles which met the state’s guidelines prior to the bill’s start date were included on the list. Per HB 29, any time a public or charter school removes a book deemed “sensitive material,” they must notify the State Board of Education. If that book meets the threshold of removals, all schools will be notified and expected to dispose of it.
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There are now 27 books prohibited in any Utah public school. Of them, 21 are written by women. The list is as follows:
Blankets by Craig Thompson (2003)
A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas (2018)
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas (2016)
A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas (2021)
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (2015)
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas (2017)
Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas (2016)
Fallout by Ellen Hopkins (2010)
Forever by Judy Blume (1975)
Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur (2014)
Oryx &