PEN America says it is the first statewide book ban in schools.
Utah placed a blanket ban on at least 13 books in schools, including works by Sarah J. Maas , Judy Blume , Rupi Kaur , Margaret Atwood and other authors, in what free speech advocates say is the first state book ban ,, signed by Gov. Spencer Cox in March, requires all schools to remove a book if school officials from at least three school districts or at least two school districts and five charter schools have determined that a book constitutes "objective sensitive material.
This first set of removed material - that state officials say will be updated in accordance with further book restrictions - includes "Forever" by Judy Blume, a coming-of-age book that touches on sexuality; "Oryx and Crake" by Margaret Atwood, a post-apocalyptic novel, and "Milk and Honey" by Rupi Kaur, a poetry book about "violence, abuse, love, loss, and femininity.
"The Board is committed to following the law and the list will be updated if and when needed," a spokesperson for the state Board of Education said in a statement to ABC News. Several groups have spoken out against the banning of these books, including PEN America, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting free speech, and"Allowing just a handful of districts to make decisions for the whole state is antidemocratic, and we are concerned that implementation of the law will result in less diverse library shelves for all Utahns," said Kasey Meehan, a program director for PEN America's Freedom to Read initiative.
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