Four school districts in Utah have banned Stephen King's novella collection Different Seasons, citing concerns over sensitive material.
The decision was made earlier this month by the Davis, Jordan, Tooele, and Washington school districts.
The ban took effect on July 6, 2026, following Utah state board of education guidelines.
Under these rules, a book must be removed if at least three school districts or two districts and five charter schools classify it as containing "objective sensitive material."
Utah law defines "objective sensitive material" as instructional content that is pornographic or indecent, harmful to minors, or featuring erotic content.
According to The Guardian, the removal of Different Seasons adds to a growing list of banned books in Utah.
As of July 15, 2026, the list includes 35 titles, such as The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
In January, the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah filed a lawsuit against state officials.
The suit, representing the estate of Kurt Vonnegut and several bestselling authors, argues that the book bans violate the First and Fourteenth Amendments.
The ACLU accused Utah of "trampling on the protections guaranteed by the First Amendment" in its announcement of the lawsuit.
