PLEASE ATTEND THE JORDAN SD BOARD MEETING AND OFFER PUBLIC COMMENT TO KEEP BOOKS ON THE SHELVES
A Jordan School District School Librarian reported on the X96 radio program “Radio From Hell” the District has ordered librarians and teachers to remove three books from their shelves (listen/watch):
Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson (winner of the Michael Printz Award for literary excellence in young adult literature)
Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr (A National Book Award Finalist)
Speak (Graphic Novel) by Laurie Halse Anderson
These books were banned because they were deemed to have “objective sensitive material” the “Sensitive Material Review Amendments” law passed by the Utah State Legislature in 2024.
PLEASE COME TO THE NEXT JSD BOARD MEETING ON May 27th 6:30 p.m.
If you have read either Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson or Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr, Your comments as patrons of JSD about the importance of both or either of the books would be greatly appreciated at the Board meeting. Patron comments are limited to three minutes (yes, there is a timer). You sign up to comment by signing into a computer in the hallway as you walk in.
If you can’t comment in person, comments can be emailed to the board at: boardcomments@jordandistrict.org. If there is time, emailed comments will be read aloud; but either way they will also be emailed to each board member.
We are also still looking for people to submit appeals for either of the books. Word on the street is that 154 appeals had been submitted as of 4/28. Appeals can be submitted until thru May 15th. Submit appeals here: http://bit.ly/4iH6jE2
We do not expect the board to actually make a decision about either book at this board meeting, which means we will need to remain vigilant during the summer, too. We hope that the board will use the Miller Test (read the book as a whole) before they prefer a decision, but that is not guaranteed.