Tooele board removes Looking for Alaska from district shelves under new state criteria
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Summary
The Tooele Board voted to remove John Green's Looking for Alaska from district library shelves after reviewing statutory criteria; two other titles were returned to committee under the updated law for further review.
The Tooele Board of Education voted Feb. 10 to remove John Green’s Looking for Alaska from district shelves after applying the statutory criteria recently adopted by the state legislature for reviewing sensitive materials.
Staff described the three-step review process: an initial panel, objective review and, if necessary, subjective review. Looking for Alaska had gone through objective review, been forwarded to subjective review, and then was appealed by the requester. Board members read statutory questions required by law (whether material contains explicit sexual descriptions or depictions, whether it depicts sexual acts, and whether it contains sexual touching of genitals or pubic regions). The board voted sequentially on the statutory criteria; a majority concluded the material met at least one disqualifying criterion and moved to remove the book. Todd moved for removal and Valerie seconded; the motion carried by board vote.
Two other titles—The Handmaid’s Tale and Me, Earl and the Dying Girl—were returned to the committee because changes in the law and the committee's process required re-review under the new rules. Staff said further committee action may return items to the board depending on the committee outcome.
Board members urged constituents to contact legislators if they wished to change the statutory standard. The action applies to district-managed shelves pending any appeal the requester pursues.
