School District Returns Bible To Libraries After Pulling It For ‘Vulgarity’

A Utah public school district that removed the Bible from elementary and middle school libraries voted Tuesday to reverse the decision, officials said in a statement. 

The Davis School District, located north of Salt Lake City, pulled the Bible from most library shelves earlier this month after a review committee decided only to make it available to high school students. But on Tuesday, after backlash over the decision, an appeals committee reversed the ban in a unanimous decision.  

“Based on their assessment of community standards, the appeal committee determined that The Bible has significant, serious value for minors which outweighs the violent or vulgar content it contains,” the committee wrote in its decision. 

Last year, the Utah legislature passed a law that allowed parents to challenge books available in public schools that contained “sensitive materials.” In December, the district received a request from an unknown individual to review the Bible. 

A review committee decided on June 2 to keep the Bible only in high school libraries, citing “age appropriateness due to vulgarity or violence.” Almost immediately, parents began filing challenges to the decision, with at least 70 people appealing the controversial call. 

“It is my firm opinion that the King James Version of the Bible is a historically significant, very important book of scripture with deep spiritual meaning for many people,” Brigit Gerrard, Davis School District vice president, said.

“The magnitude of the value of the Bible as a literary work outweighs any violence or profanity which may be contained in the book,” she added. 

After Tuesday’s decision, district spokesman Chris Williams denied that the initial request and ruling were intended to “intentionally manipulate” the state’s sensitive materials law, which is designed to keep “pornographic or indecent” materials out of schools. Williams said these accusations were “wholly untrue” and argued the review process is “thoughtful” and “respectful of varying perspectives.”

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Across the country recently, parents and some conservative lawmakers have been demanding the removal of sexually explicit books available to children in school libraries. In some cases, Republican-led states, like Utah, have enacted legislation to allow parents to challenge books that may be inappropriate for children.

“The Bible is the premier text our nation was founded on, and has immeasurable literary and cultural value,” State Representative Tyler Clancy told The Daily Caller regarding the decision. “In today’s divided times, we need leaders to stand up for basic Christian values and affirm the principles that hold our society together.”