Utah continues to ban books while new report finds literacy down across the state and country

On Friday, the Utah Board of Education banned another book from all public schools in the state. "Like a Love Story" by Abdi Nazemian is the 16th book Utah has banned since a new law went into effect last summer that allows individual school districts to remove books from public school libraries statewide so long as at least two other school districts agree the book contains sensitive material. Critics say the ban is targeting books with queer and transgender characters. News of ongoing book bans comes as the most recent Nation's Report Card found that most American eighth graders are a full year behind in reading. And Utah's students are no exception, with many seventh and eighth grade students in Grand County reading below a sixth grade level. Today, we speak with Margaret L. Hopkin Middle School librarian Tracy Renn, Grand County Public Library director Carrie Valdes, and Grand County School District superintendent Mike McFalls about the issue. - Show Notes - • Nation's Report Card https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ • Utah bans a 16th book from public schools https://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2025/02/07/16th-book-lands-utahs-list-those/ • Books Unbanned Project https://www.bklynlibrary.org/books-unbanned