How the Bible became conservative book bans' unintended target
As a Republican-led push to purge books picks up steam, some communities are zeroing in on a text that's chock full of sex and violence
The ongoing efforts in deep-red states like Florida and Texas to ban books deemed culturally or sexually inappropriate for their depictions of racial injustices and LGBTQ+ content have spawned a surprising form of retaliation. Parents and community members alarmed by what they see as right-wing censorship have begun targeting the Bible for removal from schools and libraries, arguing the book's graphic depictions of sex and violence make it just as subversive and inappropriate as the materials being banned under conservative and often overtly evangelical Christian auspices. In one Utah community, the Bible has been permanently pulled from elementary school shelves, while other states have been pressured to review whether the Bible violates any of their newly passed restrictions on educational materials. All told, access to the Bible has become an ironic and surprisingly effective tool in the growing fight over who controls what children read.
The Bible is too "vulgar or violent" for some schools
Casual observers might be hard-pressed to distinguish a recent article from the humor website McSweeney's titled "Smutty books have no place in our schools. It's time to ban the Bible" from a very real, if tongue firmly in cheek, petition submitted recently to Utah's Davis School District to remove the King James Version from classrooms. The request follows a 2022 state ban on allegedly explicit reading material pushed by the conservative "Utah Parents United" advocacy group — an effort that "left off one of the most sex-ridden books around," the anonymous petitioner wrote in their official complaint, the Bible. Citing "incest, onanism, bestiality, prostitution, genital mutilation, fellatio, dildos, rape and even infanticide" as evidence that the "the Bible, under Utah Code Ann. § 76-10-1227, has 'no serious values for minors' because it's pornographic by our new definition," the petitioners concluded that "this should be a slamdunk [sic]." It turns out, they were correct.
Ceding that the Bible contained "vulgarity or violence," a representative from Utah's Davis School District confirmed to the Salt Lake City Tribune in June that the book would be removed from elementary and middle school shelves. It remains available for upper school students. The Torah and Quran have reportedly not been challenged, although just days after the Bible's ban was announced, a similar petition was filed to restrict the Book of Mormon.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Bible bans and reviews are part of a larger national trend
Aside from Utah's recent ban, the Bible has been pulled from school shelves for review, if not outright removal, in Florida, Missouri and Texas. While "not frequent," this "kind of challenge where there's criticism with the contents of the Bible, in response to an effort to remove other books from the library on the same grounds, is something we've seen in the past," Deborah Caldwell-Stone, the director of the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom, said. It's "a reaction to efforts to ban so many books" across the country, Jonathan Friedman, the director of the Free Expression and Education program for the free speech advocacy group PEN America, agreed.
While Utah's ban is still in effect, the efforts to review and restrict the Bible elsewhere have largely resulted in the material returning to library and classroom shelves after review by the respective supervisory agencies. Nevertheless, the broader point being made is that far-reaching efforts to restrict reading materials in the service of limiting educational inquiry at large will inevitably "sweep up ideas and materials that you actually agree with," Caldwell-Stone said.
What has the reaction been?
Conservatives have pushed back on the effort to ban the Bible, accusing it of "trying to minimize the real concerns of parents," according to Utah Parents United curriculum director Brooke Stephens. Utah Republican lawmaker Ken Ivory seemingly agreed, complaining that the "antics" ultimately "drain school resources." However, in a lengthy statement posted to his Facebook page, Ivory, the legislator who initially sponsored Utah's restrictive book criteria, ultimately accepted the Davis School District's decision, ceding that the King James translation of the Bible can be a "challenging read for elementary or middle school children on their own" and "is best taught, and best understood, in the home, and around the hearth, as a family."
Still, education officials who remove material like the Bible for "fear that it might contain an image that could violate state law" shocks Caldwell-Stone. "It speaks to the heart of mass censorship."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Rafi Schwartz has worked as a politics writer at The Week since 2022, where he covers elections, Congress and the White House. He was previously a contributing writer with Mic focusing largely on politics, a senior writer with Splinter News, a staff writer for Fusion's news lab, and the managing editor of Heeb Magazine, a Jewish life and culture publication. Rafi's work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GOOD and The Forward, among others.
-
'It may not be surprising that creative work is used without permission'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
5 simple items to help make your airplane seat more comfortable
The Week Recommends Gel cushions and inflatable travel pillows make a world of difference
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
How safe are cruise ships in storms?
The Explainer The vessels are always prepared
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Abortion rights measures go 7 for 10
Speed Read Constitutional amendments to protect abortion passed in seven states but failed in three others: Florida, Nebraska and South Dakota
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Florida ordered to allow pro-abortion rights ads
Speed Read A federal judge in Florida ordered the DeSantis administration to stop threatening TV stations for running an abortion rights referendum ad
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Man arrested as threats on FEMA hinder Helene relief
Speed Read The agency temporarily suspended door-to-door operations as a result of the threats
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'In short, the good economic news is real'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Is Texas about to put a Democrat in the Senate?
Today's Big Question Colin Allred is gaining on Ted Cruz
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Texas' anti-porn crusade is gaining traction
Under the Radar Attorney General Ken Paxton's push to purge cyberporn from Texas is becoming a model for other red states with similar agendas
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Florida and other states move to block Chinese citizens from buying US homes
Under the Radar The block comes courtesy of a law that is currently being challenged in Florida's court system
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
'Young kids simply shouldn't be on social media'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published