Legendary author Stephen King has voiced strong disapproval of Utah's decision to ban his 1982 novella collection, Different Seasons, from all public schools within the state. The collection notably includes the stories that were adapted into the acclaimed films The Shawshank Redemption and Stand by Me.
According to The Salt Lake Tribune, the ban was triggered when at least three school districts—Davis, Jordan, Tooele, and Washington—determined the collection contained "objective sensitive material." This led to a statewide prohibition on the book, which had previously been accessible to students in grades 7 through 12. Utah law defines such material as that which is "pornographic or indecent," "harmful to minors," or involves "certain fondling or other erotic touching."
The Davis school district specifically cited three pages within the collection for allegedly describing "genitals in a state of sexual stimulation or arousal." While the specific novella triggering the ban was not explicitly stated by King, it is believed to be Apt Pupil: Summer of Corruption. This dark psychological thriller follows a high school student who blackmails an elderly neighbor, a former Nazi war criminal, leading both characters down a path of corruption.
King responded to the ban on social media, stating, "They banned DIFFERENT SEASONS in Utah. Contains STAND BY ME and THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, stories of friendship and courage. Readable by teens, too. What's wrong with these people?"
This is not the first time a Stephen King work has faced a ban in Utah; his novel Bag of Bones was added to a banned list in February. Various King books have been removed from school libraries across the United States over the years. In January, the ACLU of Utah filed a lawsuit against state officials, arguing that such book bans violate the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution.