A father in Utah has raised concerns over the decision made by his daughter’s school district to remove the Bible from elementary and middle schools. The Bible has now been limited to high schools within Utah’s Davis School District, following a complaint made by another parent regarding the presence of “vulgar and violent” content. This decision comes after Utah passed a law aimed at restricting the circulation of inappropriate material in public schools. Colton Lindsay, the father of a 10-year-old enrolled in the district, expressed his disappointment with the exclusion, stating that it goes against the values and beliefs that he wants to instill in his child.
The law in question, known as the Sensitive Materials in Schools Bill, was passed in March 2022 with the intention of banning “pornographic or indecent material” from public schools. However, Utah State Representative Ken Ivory, who proposed the legislation, has expressed his opposition to the Bible being removed under the bill. Lindsay believes that the intent of the law was manipulated by a parent with more liberal views.
The controversy began when an unnamed parent filed a complaint, sarcastically criticizing the law and claiming that the Bible should also be banned due to its explicit content. As a result, a committee called the Sensitive Materials Review Committee decided to remove the King James Version of the Bible from approximately seven to eight schools in the district. The committee consists of various members, including district administrators, educators, librarians, and parents.
Kasey Meehan, the director of PEN America’s Freedom to Read project, highlighted the concerning trend of book bans in schools, where any complaint can lead to the removal of a book. She argues that this growing movement towards educational censorship poses a threat to access to literature, regardless of its cultural and academic significance.
Despite identifying as a Christian, Lindsay firmly believes that the Bible should not have been removed from schools. He argues that the context in which certain passages were written is often misunderstood and that the Bible serves as a warning against destructive behaviors rather than promoting them. To Lindsay, the removal of the Bible represents a loss of Christian values in schools and the implementation of a new value system that not everyone agrees with.
While Lindsay acknowledges that some parents may disagree with certain books, he believes it is important to find a balance between protecting children from inappropriate material and allowing access to diverse literature. He encourages parents to voice their concerns and engage in discussions about the Bible’s removal. Ultimately, Lindsay wants to uphold his own values and beliefs in raising his children.
This incident raises broader questions about book bans and censorship in schools. Is it appropriate to exclude the Bible based on its content? How can schools maintain a balance between protecting students and allowing access to diverse literature? These are important discussions for the community to have.