Bible ban in Utah school district sparks parent protests

Republican lawmakers joined forces with over 100 parents and children at Utah’s Capitol on Wednesday to oppose a school district’s recent decision to remove the Bible from elementary and middle school libraries.

Last week, a Davis School District review committee ruled the Bible was too “violent or vulgar” for their adolescent students after a parent reportedly requested that the “sex-ridden” book be scrutinized in the same way as non-religious books being banned by administrators.

The ban was made possible by a GOP-supported “sensitive materials” law, which allows for the removal of obscene or pornographic materials from schools.

At Wednesday’s protest, frustrated families expressed their outrage through signs that read, “The Bible is the original textbook” and “Remove porn, not the Bible.”

“We love the Bible. We love God. And we need God in our nation,” said Karlee Vincent, a Davis County mother who argued that districts could ban certain controversial texts but not religious materials such as the Bible.

In what appeared to be an attempt to undermine the “sensitive materials” law, the initial request noted instances of incest, prostitution and rape in the Holy Book. It also criticized review procedures and attacked groups such as Parents United, who have pushed for the removal of other titles, mostly those with references to LGBTQ+ individuals.

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“If folks are outraged about the Bible being banned, they should be outraged about all the books that are being censored,” said Kasey Meehan, director of the Freedom to Read program at PEN America.

Meanwhile, Utah Parents United President Nichole Mason defended the law, saying parents deserve further say in what their children are exposed to in school.

“God Bless America that we can challenge any book out there!” Mason said.

With News Wire Services