By Jennifer Dobner
SALT LAKE CITY, June 1 (Reuters) – Students in a Utah school
district will need permission from their parents to read a book
about a lesbian couple raising a family following the decision
by a special committee to keep it behind library counters
instead of on bookshelves.
The book “In Our Mothers’ House,” by Patricia Polacco,
became the subject of controversy in January when the mother of
a student who brought the book home complained to the school.
“The book is still in the library and children can still
have access to the book as long as they have written permission
from their parents,” said Chris Williams, a spokesman for the
Davis School District, which covers an area north of Salt Lake
City.
Williams said “In Our Mothers’ House” was added to
collections at five of the district’s 50 elementary schools in
June 2010 in an effort to be inclusive after administrators
learned that a student was being raised by two mothers.
No objections had been made previously, he said.
“What’s objectionable to one person is fine to another,”
said Williams, adding that prior to January only two other
students had checked out the book. “Some people have complained
about ‘Harry Potter’ and the ‘Twilight’ series.”
The Davis district is not the first place parents have
raised concerns about the book, which was published in 2009. A
2011 report by the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas shows
the book was banned in several schools in that state.
Williams said a school-level committee made up of teachers,
administrators and parents decided that access to “In Our
Mothers’ House” should be restricted to students in grades 3
through 6. When that didn’t satisfy the parent, a district
committee was petitioned to address the issue.
In late April, the district committee voted 6-1 that the
book could stay in the collection, but should be kept behind the
counter, instead of on shelves. A letter informing parents of
the decision was sent out in May.
No similar restrictions have been placed on any other titles
in the district’s library collections, Williams said.
Utah gay rights advocates have mixed feelings about the
decision.
“It would have been more disturbing if they had actually
removed the book from the library,” said Brandie Balken,
director of Equality Utah. “I think at it’s core though (the
decision) says that we need to continue to take steps to
acknowledge the diversity within our communities.”
Balken said she supports the right of parents to share their
personal values with their children. Public institutions,
however, should have a responsibility to treat all children and
all families equally, she said.
Balken said the decision to restrict access to the book may
reflect concerns over laws in Utah that prohibit any curriculum
that includes a discussion of homosexuality.
But she said it might present Equality Utah, which has
worked with some districts on issues like bullying, with a
chance to begin a conversation. “I can foresee a beautiful
opportunity here to work with parents, teachers and the
administration in Davis County schools,” she said.
Polacco, the book’s author, could not immediately be reached
for comment on the decision.
(Editing by Dan Whitcomb and Todd Eastham)
