Commenters say 'Empire of Storms' removed from five Utah schools, retained at Park City junior high

Two attendees at a meeting criticized the inclusion of the novel Empire of Storms in school library catalogs, saying the book had been removed from five Utah schools but was retained by a junior high in Park City.

One commenter said the Salt Lake City School District's online catalog lists Empire of Storms and described passages in the book as sexually explicit. "It contains explicit descriptions of *********** using adjectives as undulating, thrusting, trembling, slamming, blasting, arching, searing, releasing, groaning," the commenter said. "This book, which is too indecent to be read in legislative or school board meetings of adults, ... has been removed from 5 Utah schools," the commenter added.

A second commenter said they had clashed with a librarian who argued for keeping the book available. "She just touted freedom of expression, you know, freedom of speech," the commenter said. "You can't take this away. People deserve the opportunity to be able to read these books if they want to." The same commenter said, "It breaks my heart," and described being unable to understand "what happens in a person's mind where they would think it's okay for a child to read these things."

The transcript excerpt does not identify the meeting body, the date of the remarks, or whether any formal action — such as a vote or staff direction — followed the comments. No school board motion, administrative decision, or cited statute appears in the provided record. The commenters framed their remarks as personal concerns and an account of actions in other districts rather than as verified administrative facts; the article states those comments as such ("said").

The meeting excerpt contains no record of a formal challenge process outcome, no staff response beyond the quoted exchange about freedom of expression, and no references to specific policies or statutes governing library collections in the districts mentioned.