State board starts $60,000 review of how Utah school libraries choose books
The review follows the addition of seven titles to the statewide removal list and will examine vendors, finances and parent complaint logs.
Based on reporting by KUTV 2News (CBS). Read the original story →
KUTV reported that the Utah State Board of Education has started a $60,000 review of how school library books are chosen, stemming from questions about the influence of outside organizations and vendors. The review follows seven new titles meeting the threshold for removal last month, joining 37 other titles on the statewide removal list. None of the seven were available in elementary schools. [1]
Davina Sauthoff, the board's library media specialist, said the review will look at vendor relationships through several phases, including finances, the supply chain, regulatory steps and parent complaint logs. Board member Emily Green said at a May meeting she hopes it will help align practices with the state's sensitive materials law, which requires removal when at least three school districts, or two districts and five charter schools, independently find a book meets the state definition. [1]
Parent Shawn Mathis told KUTV he objects to certain books he described as pornographic and questioned how they reach schools. Districts have until Oct. 16 to decide whether to join the data gathering and survey, and there is no deadline for finishing the review. [1]
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This story was written by AI from the report by KUTV 2News (CBS), which has the full story. How we write stories.