The Salt Lake County Republican Party calls on the leadership of the USBE to immediately take action and force the accountability needed to remove pornographic materials (as defined in Utah code 76-10-1227) rather than empower those who choose to sexualize our children by providing and further retaining access to such materials.  

We appreciate the service of every elected member of the USBE and especially the few on the board that have given light to the issue of pornography and the sexualization of children in our schools. The party platform states, “We oppose any efforts that seek to undermine a strong family unit… We believe pornography is a public health crisis and support efforts by our state and national leaders to oppose it.” 

Possession and distribution of pornography in K-12 schools was already illegal when HB374 was courageously passed. On May 4, 2022, HB374 went into effect and parents across Utah were finally given a tool to remove blatant pornography (the depiction of graphic sex acts in aural, written or visual form per Utah Code 76-10-1227), as it had been explicitly introduced and retained in school libraries and classrooms all across Utah. This law was necessitated by the failure of some educational leaders to prioritize the well-being of our children. 

Parents’ rights are sacred and protected. They are one of our God-given liberties and are directly addressed in the party platform, “We affirm that parents have the fundamental right and primary responsibility to direct the upbringing of their children and to provide nurturing care, discipline and training in moral values.” However, despite the efforts of our courageous legislators who passed HB374, it has become clear that some are abusing the new law to delay the removal of pornography from schools and even overtly retain and distribute pornography in schools without subjecting themselves to penalties (Utah Code 76-10-1204). 

Prior to HB374, existing Utah Code (76-10-1206), which still applies, clearly defined that a person is guilty of dealing in material harmful to minors when they distribute or exhibit pornography to minors. When pornography is found in a school classroom or school library, it is every responsible parent’s expectation that it be immediately removed! Anything short of immediate action should be deemed a breach of Utah law, and the Salt Lake County Republican Party deems it a betrayal of the public trust and a dereliction of duty.