The latest book banning controversy was triggered by the complaint of a parent.
Author’s Note
This article is based on personal opinion and accredited media reports. Linked information within this article is attributed to the following outlets: The Salt Lake Tribune, Twitter.com, and PEN.org.
Introduction
I should disclose at the outset I am against book banning in any form. As a student of philosophy and culture, I will add I am not religious yet have read two translations of The Holy Bible. Yes, the tome is rife with sex and violence; that much, I believe, is inarguable.
The banning of books — and art by extension, which is largely based on one‘s personal definition — is to me nothing less than an attempted suppression of history, which includes both fiction and nonfiction works most often inspired, at least in part, by matters of the day.
Whether The Bible is the authentic word of God is for others to argue. All I will offer in that regard is over centuries of human translation, as it would be with any other work, content is most often altered or even changed to the degree of bearing little to no resemblance to its original form.
Now comes word that The Bible, indeed, is the latest book to be banned in the U.S. over content deemed objectionable.
Let us explore further.
The Bible Ban, 2023
According to a June 1st report from The Salt Lake Tribune, entitled “The Bible is Banned in These Utah Elementary and Middle Schools Now For Vulgarity or Violence,” a parent filed a challenge to have the Bible removed from Davis School District libraries and the school district subsequently allowed a review of the matter.
As excerpted from the report: Now, the committee appointed by the district to review the complaint and decide if the Bible is appropriate for students to access has made its determination: High schools in Davis will keep the religious text on the shelf. But it will be removed from elementary and middle schools for containing “vulgarity or violence.”
It is said “seven or eight” elementary and middle schools from the Davis School District are immediately eliminating The Bible from its classrooms. The action has been both ridiculed and praised on social media, where on Twitter, as of press time, it is among the highest-trending topics in the country.
The parent utilized a Utah law passed in 2022, HB374, that allows for the removal of perceived "pornographic" books from school libraries.
For further information on the state of banned books in 2023, see here for PEN America’s findings on the matter.
Conclusion
This is a developing story. In the event of pertinent updates to this matter, inclusive of challenges to the ban, I will share them here on NewsBreak.
Thank you for reading.
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