Fifth graders in Idaho Falls can continue to read an adapted version of William Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ after a parent filed a formal book challenge with the district, seeking to remove it from the curriculum. The adapted story, based on the famous play, was reviewed by a nine-member committee and Superintendent Karla LaOrange, who decided that it did not meet the criteria of ‘harmful to minors’ laid out in a 2024 state law.
Parental Challenge
A parent submitted the formal challenge on January 5, claiming the story deals with adult themes not appropriate for their fifth-grade son. The complaint stated that the story includes premarital sex and forced marriage, as well as a character asking a man to treat her like a dog and another woman being ridiculed for her body shape. However, the review committee determined that the story does not meet the definition of ‘harmful to minors’ in state code and recommended that it remain part of the fifth-grade curriculum without restriction.
The story does not ‘appeal to the prurient interest of minors,’ does not contain patently offensive representations, and does not include explicit or inappropriate content, according to the review committee’s report. LaOrange agreed with the committee’s report, stating that the story portrays friendship, the consequences of one’s choices, and taking responsibility for those choices.
State Law and Review Process
The ‘Children’s School and Library Protection Act,’ signed into law by Gov. Brad Little in April 2024, requires each school and public library to create a policy and form laying out how residents can request a review of materials they believe are ‘harmful to minors.’ The law defines ‘harmful to minors’ as representations of nudity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement, sado-masochistic abuse when these representations ‘appeal to the prurient interest of minors,’ or if they are ‘patently offensive.’
When the district receives a complaint, the superintendent convenes a review committee that prepares a written report for the superintendent, who makes a decision on whether to retain, relocate, or remove the material. The parent can appeal that decision to the school board, which then makes a final decision. In this case, the trustees voted unanimously on June 1 to keep the story in the curriculum.
The district uses the Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts version of the play, which is available to download for free online. The adapted version maintains the structure and themes of the original work while modifying the language and content for accessibility and age appropriateness.
Original reporting: Idaho Education News — read the source article.
