I am writing to tell you why I think Monica Wilbur is the strongest candidate to represent State School Board District 10.

I reside in Tooele County and have been substitute teaching in this district for about 18 years. Recently I found pornographic books in our school libraries, and in fact at that time Tooele County was known for having the worst books in the state (July of 2023). I’ve been involved in trying to remove these books ever since.

Although I have many reasons to recommend Monica to represent us, let me focus on what she has done to try to remove pornographic books from school libraries.

Monica helped write a Sensitive Materials Model Policy that was submitted to the State Board for consideration, known as Draft 3.5 on USBE’s 6/30/22 meeting agenda. Her submission adhered to the letter and intent of the Sensitive Materials bill that passed in 2022 (HB374 and codified as 53G-10-103). Only Monica’s policy proposal provided equal protection for all students statewide from sexually explicit content as defined in Utah’s criminal code. Monica’s policy included clarity and compliance measures to ensure districts would follow the law. In contrast, the incumbent running for District 10 put forward his own model policy, known as the master merge library model policy, that did not follow the clear intent of the bill, and which added ambiguity, confusion, and loopholes which were easily exploited by districts. His policy required districts, who were knowingly and intentionally breaking the law, to continue policing themselves, making his weak attempts at removing p*** in schools completely ineffective. The fact that p*** is still in schools over two years later is proof of the failure of his policy.

Just a few more differences in Monica’s policy proposal vs. Matt Hymas’ failed policy: Monica’s policy proposal did NOT allow students to be part of the complaint and review process. Matt’s did which is unconscionable as it further exposes students to pornography. Monica’s policy required educators as soon as they were made aware of the presence of sensitive material in the school setting to take prompt and appropriate action to file a book complaint. Matt’s policy allowed school personnel to file a complaint but didn’t require them to. This allows school personnel to turn a blind eye to inappropriate materials.

Monica’s policy proposal required books be removed in all schools in the district while undergoing a review, and removed statewide if the district’s decision to retain a book was appealed to the State Board and was found to be sensitive material. Matt’s policy did not require books to be removed while they were challenged, but actually allowed kids access to illegal sexually explicit content during the book review period so long as they had parent permission. Matt’s policy did not require the State Board to police districts or overrule their decisions in order to ensure compliance with state law but allowed rogue districts to continue policing themselves. Monica’s policy proposal did not restrict how many books a parent could challenge so long as they could show evidence the book contained material sensitive in nature. Matt’s policy put restrictions on getting rid of sexually explicit content, thereby leaving students at risk of being exposed.

Monica’s policy proposal did not restrict the book from being challenged again for a period of time by another qualifying person. It also allowed grandparents to sit on book review committees. Matt’s policy imposed restrictions that only work towards protecting pornographic content, not protecting children.

Monica’s policy proposal required a public hearing on challenged books allowing the public to testify regarding how the book(s) violated specific provisions of the law and to observe the review committee’s deliberations to ensure their determinations were based on objective elements of the law. Matt’s policy allowed decisions to be made outside the public’s eye using subjective criteria and protected the identity of the reviewers.

Monica’s policy proposal required the public be notified in advance of a public hearing and restricted minors from being on book review committees or attending public hearings where they would be required to read or be exposed to pornographic content. Matt’s policy allowed minors to be on review committees that were required to read questionable books in full.

Monica’s policy proposal adhered to the new bright line rule that left no excuse for sexually explicit content. Matt’s policy is much like the one Tooele County School District adopted. His policy did not adhere to the new bright line provisions in the law based on existing criminal code 76-10-1227. Instead, Matt’s policy required districts to go by the super subjective “taken as a whole” provision in the old law that gave districts all the excuse they needed to keep the bad books on the shelves and to retain nearly any book that was challenged.

Monica’s policy proposal put zero restrictions on the number of books parents could challenge. Matt’s policy restricted the number of challenges from each person and how often a book could be re-challenged.

Monica’s policy proposal allowed parents to appeal a district’s decision to the State Board and for books to be removed and tracked statewide. Matt’s policy only allowed for appeals to be resubmitted to the same local school board who allowed the books into the schools in the first place. Matt’s policy did not provide for statewide removal, nor did it provide a statewide tracking system.

I can say with confidence that had the policy Monica Wilbur helped write been adopted and properly implemented we would not have the problems we have today because, among other things, Monica’s policy REQUIRED Educators to take action. As it stands now, although teachers can challenge books, they are not required to and so they don’t, and the burden has fallen completely on the parents to police the schools, submit challenges, and fruitlessly try to hold the non-transparent and unaccountable system accountable. This is not right.

Thank you for your time and I hope you will consider this when you go to the polls.

Best Regards,

Lorri (Higgins) Okerlund