Diane Knight
What is your position on the current policies for school libraries in ASD and what, if any, changes would you make?
HB374 was passed by the Utah Legislature in 2022, and defines “sensitive material” as instructional materials that are pornographic or indecent. This law is commonly referred to as the “bright line rule” in Utah state code. In the context of Utah school libraries, this rule mandates the immediate removal of books that meet a specific legal definition of pornography.
The school board has the legal mandate to implement policies that ensure compliance with state laws. In Alpine School District, Policy 6161 currently addresses this issue and outlines the process for handling sensitive instructional materials.
I believe it is critical to understand that school libraries are not public libraries. They exist to serve minors, and the content they house must reflect that responsibility. Every part of any material available in a school library should be appropriate enough to read out loud in a school board meeting. If it cannot meet that standard, it does not belong on the shelves.
There is no such thing as “age-appropriate indecency.” That’s a contradiction in terms. I want to be perfectly clear that PORNOGRAPHY, INDECENCY, and AGENDAS HAVE NO PLACE IN SCHOOLS. I will always land firmly on the side of protecting our students from these materials. You can count on me for that.