American Utah bans 13 books from classrooms and school libraries in the state, as they are considered to contain pornographic or indecent content. Among the books are "Oryx and Crake" by Margaret Atwood and "Forever" by Judy Blume. This is reported by New York Times.
The removal of the titles is based on a state law that came into effect on July 1. The law makes it possible to ban books that contain "unacceptable pornographic elements" in all school activities in Utah.
Previously, schools and libraries themselves have decided whether a book is suitable for children, based on a range of different factors, including literary and artistic quality.
According to the freedom of expression organization Pen America, this is the first time a state in the USA has required all schools within its borders to ban a list of books.
