Stephen King responds to book bans in Utah public schools

Author Stephen King has issued a statement regarding the addition of his book, ‘Different Seasons’, to a list of titles banned in all Utah public schools. The decision follows a 2024 Utah law which mandates that if specific numbers of school districts or charters remove a book for containing ‘objective sensitive material’, all public schools in the state must follow suit.

King noted that his works, including ‘The Stand’ and ‘Pet Sematary’, have often served as gateways to reading for teenagers. He expressed hope that the removal of ‘Different Seasons’—the collection containing stories that inspired films like ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ and ‘Stand By Me’—might prompt school boards to reconsider their decisions.

According to a report from PEN America, King is currently the most banned author in U.S. schools, with 87 of his works censored 206 times during the previous school year.