A.W. et al v. Davis School District

Filing 2

COMPLAINT against Davis School District (Filing fee $ 350, receipt number 1088-1714904), filed by C.W., A.W.. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet Cover Sheet, # 2 Exhibit A, # 3 Exhibit B, # 4 Exhibit C, # 5 Exhibit D, # 6 Exhibit E, # 7 Exhibit F, # 8 Exhibit G, # 9 Exhibit H, # 10 Exhibit I, # 11 Exhibit J, # 12 Exhibit K) Assigned to Magistrate Judge Evelyn J. Furse (Mejia, John)

Joshua Block*
Leslie Cooper*
ACLU Foundation, Inc
125 Broad Street, Floor 18
New York, New York 10004
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]

John Mejia (USB No. 13965)
Leah Farrell (USB No. 13696)
ACLU of Utah Foundation, Inc.
355 North 300 West
Salt Lake City, Utah 84103
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]

*Application for admission
pro hac vice to follow
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
DISTRICT OF UTAH
NORTHERN DIVISION
A.W. and C.W., by and through their
mother Tina Weber, individually and
on behalf of others similarly situated,
Plaintiffs,
v.
DAVIS SCHOOL DISTRICT,
Defendant.

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Case No. 1:12-cv-242 EJF
PROPOSED CLASS ACTION
COMPLAINT FOR
DECLARATORY JUDGMENT,
INJUNCTIVE RELIEF, AND
NOMINAL DAMAGES

PROPOSED CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
1.

In Our Mothers’ House, by Patricia Polacco, is a children’s book about three

adopted children and their two mothers. In response to complaints from a subset of parents that
the book “normalizes a lifestyle we don’t agree with,” Davis School District (the “District”) has
instructed its elementary school librarians to remove all copies of In Our Mothers’ House from
the library shelves and place the book behind a counter where students must have written
parental permission to read it. The District does not dispute that it restricted access to In Our
Mothers’ House because of the ideas the book contains; indeed, the District’s primary

justification for removing the book from the shelves is that, by telling the story of children raised
by same-sex parents, the book constitutes “advocacy of homosexuality,” in purported violation
of Utah’s sex-education laws.
2.

Over 30 years ago, the Supreme Court held that school officials may not remove

books from school library shelves because they or their constituents disagree with the ideas those
books contain. The District can respect the wishes of parents who disagree with In Our Mothers’
House by allowing parents to place limits on their own children’s ability to check out particular
books. But the District cannot constitutionally use the personal views of some parents to restrict
access to books for the entire school community. By restricting access to In Our Mothers’
House based on the fact that the book depicts a family with same-sex parents, the District has
placed a discriminatory burden on students’ ability to access fully protected speech. Even worse,
restricting access to In Our Mothers’ House and segregating it from the rest of the library
collection places an unconstitutional stigma on the ideas contained in the book and the students
who wish to read it.
3.

Individually and on behalf of a class of those similarly situated, Plaintiffs

complain against Defendant as follows:

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PARTIES
4.

Plaintiffs A.W. and C.W. bring their claims by and through their mother, Tina

Weber. Plaintiffs are students at one of the elementary schools in Davis School District where In
Our Mothers’ House was previously on the library shelves and available to be checked out
without restrictions. Plaintiffs attended that elementary school in the 2011-12 school year and
continue to attend the school for the 2012-13 school year.
5.

Defendant Davis School District (the “District”) is a school district that provides

public education to school-aged students within Davis County, Utah. The District is a public
school system organized and maintained under the laws of the State of Utah.
6.

The Davis School District Board of Education (the “School Board”) is an elected

body responsible for the educational policy of the District.
7.

The School Board has delegated to Superintendent Bryan Bowles the power to

enforce the general policies of the School Board as part of the administration of schools in the
District.
8.

Pursuant to the School Library Media Policies dated June 2011, the School Board

has also “delegate[d] authority for the selection of library resources and materials to library
media professionals. The secondary library media teacher or elementary library media specialist
is, therefore, responsible for the selection and acquisition of all materials for the library media
center.” (Ex. A at 4.)
9.

Pursuant to the School Library Media Policies, the District Library Media

Committee is vested with final authority to decide requests by parents to remove or restrict
access to library materials. The School Library Media Policies do not provide any mechanism
for appealing the committee’s decision.
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JURISDICTION AND VENUE
10.

This Court has federal-question jurisdiction over Plaintiffs’ claims arising under

the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution and 42 U.S.C. § 1983.
Jurisdiction is therefore proper under 28 U.S.C. § 1331 (general federal question jurisdiction)
and § 1343 (civil rights actions). This Court has jurisdiction to render the declaratory relief
requested under 28 U.S.C. §§ 2201 and 2202.
11.

Venue is proper in this district under 28 U.S.C. § 1391 because Defendant resides

in this district and the action arose in this district.
FACTUAL ALLEGATIONS
In Our Mothers’ House
12.

Patricia Polacco is a highly regarded author of children’s books. She has received

numerous literary awards for her work, including the Sydney Taylor Book Award, the
International Reading Association Award, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and
Illustrators Golden Kite Award for Illustration, three Parent’s Choice Honors, the North Dakota
Library Association Children’s Book Award, the Jo Osborne Award For Humor in Children’s
Literature, the Missouri Association of School Librarians Show Me Readers Award, the West
Virginia Children’s Book Award, and the Mid -South Independent Booksellers for Children
Humpty Dumpty Award.
13.

Polacco’s children’s books feature an array of families from different races,

religions, ethnicities, cultures, and backgrounds, including families who are Jewish, Christian,
Asian-American, interracial, and Amish.
14.

Polacco wrote In Our Mothers’ House in 2009. The book is published by

Philomel Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group.
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15.

In Our Mothers’ House tells the story of three adopted children and their two

mothers.
16.

Polacco was inspired to write In Our Mothers’ House after sitting in on a student

writing class while visiting an elementary school as a guest speaker. As part of the class,
students were asked to write an essay on the topic of “My Family” and read their essays aloud.
When one of the students who had two same-sex parents stood up to read her essay, the teacher’s
assistant in the classroom told her: “No, sit down. You don’t come from a real family.” After
witnessing that event, Polacco started writing In Our Mothers’ House.
17.

School Library Journal’s review of In Our Mothers’ House states:

Grade 1–4 —This gem of a book illustrates how love makes a family, even if it's
not a traditional one. The narrator, a black girl, describes how her two Caucasian
mothers, Marmee and Meema, adopted her, her Asian brother, and her red-headed
sister. She tells about the wonderful times they have growing up in Berkeley, CA.
With their large extended family and friends, they celebrate Halloween with
homemade costumes, build a tree house, organize a neighborhood block party,
and host a mother-daughter tea party. The narrator continually reinforces the
affectionate feelings among her mothers and siblings, and the illustrations depict
numerous scenes of smiling people having a grand time. Most of the neighbors
are supportive, except for one woman who tells Marmee and Meema, “I don't
appreciate what you two are.” Eventually, the children grow up, marry
heterosexual spouses, and return home to visit their aged parents with their own
children. Is this an idealized vision of a how a gay couple can be accepted by
their family and community? Absolutely. But the story serves as a model of
inclusiveness for children who have same-sex parents, as well as for children who
may have questions about a “different” family in their neighborhood. A lovely
book that can help youngsters better understand their world.
18.

The book’s publisher and School Library Journal recommend In Our Mothers’

House for readers in grades 1 through 4.
Elementary School Libraries in the District
19.

Elementary schools in the District serve students in grades K through 6.

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20.

At the time the events underlying this Complaint occurred, the policies for school

libraries in the District, including the policy for removal of library books, were set forth in the
School Library Media Policies, dated June 2011 (attached as Ex. A).
21.

Until recently, the School Library Media Policies were publicly available on the

District’s website. After the events underlying this litigation took place, the District removed the
School Library Media Policies from the website and posted a message in its place stating: “The
Davis District Library Media Policies are undergoing review at this time.”
22.

In the School Library Media Policies, the District holds itself out as following the

principles of intellectual freedom and viewpoint neutrality that have been adopted by the
American Library Association and the American Association of School Librarians.
23.

The School Library Media Policies state that the District supports several

statements from the American Library Association, including: “Library Bill of Rights,” “The
Freedom to Read,” “Libraries: An American Value,” and “Access to Resources and Services in
the School Library.” (Ex. A at 1.) Those statements from the American Library Association
include the following principles:
a. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of
view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or
removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval. (Library Bill of Rights,
Policy II)
b. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with
resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas. (Library Bill
of Rights, Policy IV)
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c. It is in the public interest for publishers and librarians to make available the
widest diversity of views and expressions, including those that are
unorthodox, unpopular, or considered dangerous by the majority. (The
Freedom to Read, Proposition 1)
d. Publishers, librarians, and booksellers do not need to endorse every idea or
presentation they make available. It would conflict with the public interest for
them to establish their own political, moral, or aesthetic views as a standard
for determining what should be published or circulated. (The Freedom to
Read, Proposition 2)
e. We defend the constitutional rights of all individuals, including children and
teenagers, to use the library’s resources and services. (Libraries: An
American Value)
f. We value our nation’s diversity and strive to reflect that diversity by providing
a full spectrum of resources and services to the communities we serve.
(Libraries: An American Value)
g. We celebrate and preserve our democratic society by making available the
widest possible range of viewpoints, opinions and ideas, so that all individuals
have the opportunity to become lifelong learners—informed, literate,
educated, and culturally enriched. (Libraries: An American Value)
h. The school library media program plays a unique role in promoting
intellectual freedom. It serves as a point of voluntary access to information
and ideas and as a learning laboratory for students as they acquire critical
thinking and problem-solving skills needed in a pluralistic society. Although
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the educational level and program of the school necessarily shape the
resources and services of a school library media program, the principles of the
Library Bill of Rights apply equally to all libraries, including school library
media programs. (Access to Resources and Services in the School Library)
i. Members of the school community involved in the collection development
process employ educational criteria to select resources unfettered by their
personal, political, social, or religious views. Students and educators served
by the school library media program have access to resources and services
free of constraints resulting from personal, partisan, or doctrinal disapproval.
School library media specialists resist efforts by individuals or groups to
define what is appropriate for all students or teachers to read, view, hear, or
access via electronic means. (Access to Resources and Services in the School
Library)
24.

The School Library Media Policies also state that the school librarians should,

among other things, “provide equal access to the library media center for all members of the
school community,” “offer a variety of materials in formats to enhance curriculum instruction
and to provide accurate, authoritative and balanced informational views,” “provide for
recreational reading,” and “empower students and teachers with life-long learning skills as
outlined in Standards for the 21st-Centery Learner, AASL, 20007.” (Ex. A at 3-4.)
25.

Standards for the 21st-Century Learner is published by the American Association

of School Librarians. Standards for the 21st-Century Learner sets forth several learning skills for
students, including:
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a. Solicit and respect diverse perspectives while searching for information,
collaborating with others, and participating as a member of the
community. (Standards for the 21st-Centery Learner § 3.3.1)
b. Respect the different interests and experiences of others and seek a variety
of viewpoints. (Standards for the 21st-Centery Learner § 3.3.2)
c. Use knowledge and information skills and dispositions to engage in public
conversation and debate about issues of public concern. (Standards for the
21st-Centery Learner § 3.3.3)
d. Create products that apply to authentic real-world contexts. (Standards
for the 21st-Centery Learner § 3.3.4)
e. Respect the principles of intellectual freedom. (Standards for the 21stCentery Learner § 3.3.7)
f. Read widely and fluidly to make connections with self, the world, and
previous reading. (Standards for the 21st-Centery Learner § 4.1.2)
g. Maintain openness to new ideas by considering divergent opinions,
changing opinions or conclusions when evidence supports the change, and
seeking information about new ideas encountered through academic or
personal experiences. (Standards for the 21st-Centery Learner § 4.2.3)
h. Show an appreciation for literature by electing to read for pleasure and
expressing an interest in various literary genres. (Standards for the 21stCentery Learner § 4.2.4)
i. Recognize the limits of own personal knowledge. (Standards for the 21stCentery Learner § 4.4.2)
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j. Interpret new information based on cultural and social context. (Standards
for the 21st-Centery Learner § 4.4.4)
k. Evaluate own ability to select materials that are engaging and appropriate
for personal interests and needs. (Standards for the 21st-Centery Learner §
4.4.6)
26.

The collections of elementary school libraries in the District contain a wide array

of books dealing with family-life issues, including books about adoption, divorce, remarriage,
death, and the birth of brothers and sisters.
27.

The collections of elementary school libraries in the District contain a wide array

of books about diverse religious and cultural beliefs, including children’s books about the stories
and customs of families that are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and Hindu.
28.

The collections of elementary school libraries in the District contain many of

Polacco’s other children’s books, including: Appelemando’s Dreams; The Art of Miss Chew;
Aunt Chip and the Great Triple Creek Dam Affair; Babushka Baba Yaga; Babushka’s Doll;
Babushka’s Mother Goose; The Bee Tree; Betty Doll; Boat Ride With Lillian Two Blossoms; The
Butterfly; Chicken Sunday; Christmas Tapestry; Emma Kate; Firetalking; For the Love of
Autumn; Ginger and Petunia; The Graves Family; The Graves Family Goes Camping; I Can
Hear the Sun; In Enzo’s Splendid Gardens; January’s Sparrow; John Phillip Duck; Junkyard
Wonders; Just Plain Fancy; The Keeping Quilt; The Lemonade Club; Luba and the Wren;
Meteor!; Mommies Say Shhh!; Mr. Lincoln’s Way; Mrs. Katz and Tush; Mrs. Mack; My Rotten
Redhead Older Brother; Oh, Look!; My Ol’ Man; An Orange for Frankie; Picnic at Mudsock
Meadow; Pink and Say; Rechenka’s Eggs; Rotten Richie and the Ultimate Dare; Some Birthday!;
Someone for Mr. Sussman; Something About Hensley’s; Thank you, Mr. Falker; Thunder Cake;
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The Trees of the Dancing Goats; Tikvah Means Hope; Uncle Vova’s Tree; Welcome Comfort;
and When Lightning Comes in a Jar.
Procedure for Removing or Restricting Library Books
29.

According to the School Library Media Policies, the District’s Board of Education

has “delegate[d] authority for the selection of library resources and materials to library media
professionals. The secondary library media teacher or elementary library media specialist is,
therefore, responsible for the selection and acquisition of all materials for the library media
center.” (Ex. A at 4.)
30.

According to the School Library Media Policies, the Library Media Steering

Committee is a standing committee that exists to promote library media programs, provide
professional development, recommend policies and procedures, and address library issues. (Ex.
A at 2.) The Library Media Steering Committee meets on a monthly basis and consists of
librarians from elementary and secondary schools. The Library Media Steering Committee does
not play any role in deciding whether a challenged book should be removed or restricted.
31.

Under the School Library Media Policies, in order to trigger the process for

removing or restricting a book, a complainant must submit a completed Request for
Reconsideration of Materials Form. (Ex. A at 5.)
32.

The School Library Media Policies provide that when a school library book is

challenged, the complaint is initially reviewed by a School Library Media Committee. Each
school in the District has a school library media committee, which is chaired by the school
librarian, and may include an administrator, department chair, teacher, parent representative, or
student representative. (Ex. A at 2.)
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33.

If a complainant wishes to appeal the decision of the School Library Media

Committee, the appeal is heard by the District Library Media Committee, which is chaired by the
district library media supervisor and may include a superintendent, school board member, parent
representative, curriculum development director, and student representative. (Ex. A at 2.)
34.

There is no standing District Library Media Committee; members are selected on

an ad hoc basis. Until the events underlying this litigation occurred, the District had not
convened a District Library Media Committee to review a book challenge in many years.
35.

The decision of the District Library Media Committee on whether to remove or

restrict access to a book is the final decision on the issue and may not be reconsidered for three
years. The School Library Media Policies do not provide any further mechanism for review.
(Ex. A at 6.)
36.

The District’s policy for reviewing complaints about library books is separate and

distinct from the District’s policy for reviewing complaints about “instructional materials,”
which is set forth in Policy 4I-200.
37.

Challenges to instructional materials are (1) initially heard by the teacher using

the materials and then appealed to (2) a conference with the teacher, department head, and a
school administrator, (3) the department for the relevant subject matter, (4) a district committee
chaired, and (5) the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum.
38.

Policy 4I-200 defines “instructional materials” as “systematically arranged text

materials, in harmony with the Core framework and required by students or teachers or both as
principal sources of study and which cover any portion of the course.”
39.

Library books are not “instructional materials” as defined by Policy 4I-200.

Removal of In Our Mothers’ House from the Library Shelves
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40.

The librarians for four elementary schools in the District purchased copies of In

Our Mothers' House for their library collections. Those elementary schools are: Parkside
Elementary School, Snow Horse Elementary School, South Weber Elementary School, and
Windridge Elementary School.
41.

At least one of those school librarians purchased In Our Mothers' House because

a student at the school has same-sex parents and the librarian wanted the student to feel included
and welcome.
42.

At some point during the 2011-12 school year, a parent with a kindergartener at

Windridge Elementary School complained that her child had come home from school with a
copy of In Our Mothers’ House. The parent filled out a form to request that the school remove
the book from the library shelves.
43.

On January 27, 2012, the Windridge School Library Media Committee met to

consider the parent’s request. The minutes of the meeting are attached as Exhibit B. The
committee consisted of the school media specialist/librarian, the district library media supervisor,
the Windridge Elementary School Principal, two teachers at Windridge, and a parent
representative. At the meeting, the Windridge School Library Media Committee decided to
move the book from the “Easy Reading” section to the “Fiction” section, which is designed for
students in grades 3 to 6.
44.

The complaining parent was unhappy with the decision of the School Library

Media Committee and appealed to the District Library Media Committee. In connection with the
appeal, the parent submitted complaint forms from 25 other parents who also wanted the book
removed. The reasons given by the parents for removing the book included:
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a. “I believe it glamorizes and normalizes something that is a sensitive issue.
I also view it as propaganda on this subject. This is propaganda because it
puts forth an idea, then makes it look attractive and normal.” (Ex. C.)
b. “The entire book promotes homosexuality and makes the reader feel that
life inside a homosexual home is great, wonderful & with no problems. I
believe that the author is wanting us to accept homosexuality as a norm. It
is not a norm! She made it seem like there is only 1 person that does not
accept it.” (Ex. D.)
c. “I don’t agree that wholesome complete parenting can be done by lesbians
without a father role. It’s not a natural process to have a complete family
without a male & female. This book makes it sound OK and brainwashes
very young children when these issues should be decided by the parents.
It’s too controversial of a subject for children under 18 who’s [sic] brains
are still being developed.” (Ex. E.)
d. “I object to a homosexual lifestyle but even more to allowing couples who
decide to live together a homosexual life to adopt children.
Homosexuality is a very sensitive topic one that brings much heartache
and sadness, unfortunately this book does not explain more of the
psychological and emotional hurt that these people go through. It paints a
picture of false happiness. It says it is ok for a homosexual couple to
adopt and raise children and even when they mention about one person as
not accepting of them, there are more issues that affect negatively a child
who grows up in this kind of environment.” (Ex. F.)
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e. “The purpose of this material is to make the choice homosexuality normal
and fun. The child’s mothers went to great effort to be fun & exciting – in
a loving neighborhood everyone dreams of living. . . . This book makes a
homosexual lifestyle seem fun and exciting – lots of parties, costumes &
events with children who grow up to having successful high paying
careers. It normalizes a lifestyle we don’t agree with.” (Ex. G.)
45.

The District Library Media Committee met on April 30, 2012 to decide the

parent’s appeal. The minutes of the meeting are attached as Exhibit H.
46.

The District had no formal mechanism for choosing members of the committee.

The committee included only one person with a background in librarianship: a high school
library media teacher. (Ex. H at 1.) The rest of the committee consisted of the District’s
Supervisor of Gifted and Talented Programs, a teacher who currently serves as president of the
District’s teacher’s union, a sixth-grade mathematics teacher, the District’s Elementary School
Director, a parent representative, and the District’s Legal Issues Specialist. (Ex. H at 1.) The
District Library Media Supervisor did not sit on the committee. (Ex. H at 1.)
47.

The composition of the District Library Media Committee did not comply with

the School Library Media Policies. The School Library Media Policies state that the committee
should be chaired by the District Library Media Supervisor, but in this case the District Library
Media Supervisor did not even sit on the committee. (Ex. A at 2; Ex. H at 1.) The School
Library Media Policies also state that other members of the committee may include a
superintendent, school board member, parent representative, curriculum development director,
and student representative. (Ex. A at 2.) In this case, however, the committee included a parent
representative but did not include a superintendent, school board member, curriculum
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development director, or a student representative. (Ex. H at 1.) The School Library Media
Policies do not authorize district directors, teachers, or legal issues specialists to serve as
members of the committee.
48.

The District did not provide advanced notice to the school community and the

public at large that a District Library Media Committee would be meeting to decide whether to
remove or restrict access to In Our Mothers’ House.
49.

Three parents appeared before the committee and explained why they wanted In

Our Mothers’ House removed. Among other things, the parents stated that “the book was too
controversial for young children” and that “the book did not reflect their community’s morals
and values.” (Ex. H at 2.)
50.

The parents also said they were “dismayed to discover how much autonomy the

media specialist [at each individual school] has in ordering books for the school.” (Ex. H at 2.)
51.

A committee member asked the parents if they were aware that instead of

removing the books from the shelves, they could fill out a form requesting that their own
children not be allowed to check out certain books. (Ex. H at 2.) The parents said they were not
aware of that option, but they said that even if their children could not check out the book, the
parents would still be concerned that their children would be able to read that book at school
without the parent knowing about it. (Ex. H at 2.)
52.

During deliberations, the school Legal Issues Specialist, who was a member of the

committee and ultimately voted to restrict access to the book, gave two reasons for removing or
restricting access to In Our Mothers’ House.
53.

First, the Legal Issues Specialist said that books in the elementary school library

should be treated as part of the curriculum. The Legal Issues Specialist said that the Supreme
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Court’s decision in Bd. of Educ., Island Trees Union Free Sch. Dist. No. 26 v. Pico, 457 U.S. 853
(1982), which prohibits school officials from restricting library books based on the ideas the
books contain, did not involve an elementary school library. The Legal Issues Specialist said
that elementary school libraries should be treated as part of the school curriculum because
elementary school students’ library time is more structured than library time for students in
junior and senior high schools. (Ex. H at 2-3.)
54.

Second, the Legal Issues Specialist said that keeping the book on the library

shelves would violate Utah’s sex-education law, U.C.A. 1953 § 53A-13-101, which prohibits
sex-education curricula from using instructional materials that contain “advocacy of
homosexuality.” The Legal Issues Specialist told the committee that because an elementary
school library should be treated as part of the curriculum, leaving In Our Mothers’ House on the
library shelves would violate the ban on “advocacy of homosexuality.” (Ex. H at 3.)
55.

After the Legal Issues Specialist spoke, the committee discussed options for

restricting access to In Our Mothers’ House without removing the book from the school libraries
completely. (Ex. H at 3.)
56.

During the deliberations, none of the committee members suggested that In Our

Mothers’ House was vulgar or educationally unsuitable for an elementary school audience. The
minutes of the meeting state without attribution that: “Removing the book completely is not a
good option. We all know many non-traditional families. Kids ask questions. This book could
help to answer questions by peers in the school situation. It could help those children in same
sex families see their family in a book.”
57.

At the end of the discussion, the committee voted 6-1 to remove In Our Mothers’

House from the shelves of all elementary school libraries in the district and place the book
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behind the librarian’s desk where it could be checked out only with written parental permission.
(Ex. H at 3.) The dissenting vote was cast by the school library media teacher, who did not think
the book should be restricted. (Ex. H at 3.)
58.

The minutes of the meeting do not explain why the committee concluded that

placing In Our Mothers’ House behind the librarian’s desk addressed the purported concern that
the book constituted instructional material containing “advocacy of homosexuality,” in violation
of Utah’s sex-education laws.
59.

The only portion of the minutes that addresses why restricting access to the book

would be the optimal solution is an unattributed statement that: “Restricting the book and
requiring parent signature would cause the issue to be buried.” (Ex. H at 3.)
Other Books With “Homosexual Themes”
60.

On May 23, 2012, the District Library Media Committee’s decision was reported

to the Library Media Steering Committee, which – unlike the District Library Media Committee
– is comprised of trained librarians.
61.

The Library Media Steering Committee was told that the decision to remove In

Our Mothers’ House was based on the determination by the Legal Issues Specialist that
elementary school libraries are part of the curriculum and that books with “homosexual themes”
could therefore not be included in the elementary school libraries.
62.

The Library Media Steering Committee was further instructed that librarians

should proactively restrict access to any book containing “homosexual themes.”
63.

The Library Media Steering Committee was told that it is important to proactively

address this issue because a group of parents were ready to challenge more books and take away
the power of individual school librarians to make their own collection decisions.
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64.

The District also held a meeting with elementary school librarians to inform them

that they should proactively remove from the shelves any books that have “homosexual themes.”
65.

On May 31, 2012, the Salt Lake Tribune reported that the District had restricted

access to In Our Mothers’ House. (Ex. I.) The article quotes District Spokesman, Chris
Williams, stating: “State law says schools can’t have anything in the curriculum that advocates
homosexuality. That is why it is now behind the counter.”
66.

Williams also told the Salt Lake Tribune that “he’s heard rumblings that some

parents in the district are also concerned about And Tango Makes Three. But so far, those
concerns haven’t reached the level of organizing a panel to discuss the book’s content.” And
Tango Makes Three is a children’s book about two male penguins that hatch an egg and raise the
baby penguin together.
67.

In a follow-up story published on June 1, 2012, the Salt Lake Tribune reported

that school librarians had been instructed to proactively remove other books with “homosexual
themes” from the library shelves. (Ex. J.) One of the librarians told the paper that she felt like
she was in the McCarthy era and being asked to “name names.”
68.

In response to the news stories, the District publicly denied that librarians in the

District had been instructed to proactively remove other books from the shelves. Instead of
publishing the original minutes from the May meeting of the Library Meeting Steering
Committee on the District’s website, the District published amended minutes that were approved
in July. (Ex. K.) The amended minutes state: “Davis School District has a policy and process
for the restriction or removal of library materials. All librarians should strictly adhere to the
DSD policy and process, located [on the District’s website] and not restrict or remove library
materials unless that action is determined by the school or district media committee. Any
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statements made to the contrary are the opinions of the committee member(s) and should not be
considered district policy.” (Ex. K. at 1.)
69.

The School Library Media Policies provide that when a library book is

challenged, “[t]he material in question will remain in use during the reconsideration process. No
item is to be removed from school use without the recommendation of the [school or district]
library media committee.” (Ex. A at 5, 6.)
70.

The amended minutes state that instead of proactively removing books with

“homosexual themes,” librarians should leave the books in place until the books are challenged
and the removal committees have made a final decision. But the amended minutes do not
contradict reports that if complaints are received about other books with “homosexual themes,”
those books would ultimately be similarly restricted in elementary school libraries based on the
District’s interpretation of Utah’s sex-education law.
Harm Caused By District’s Restriction of In Our Mothers’ House
71.

The District can respect the wishes of parents who disagree with In Our Mothers’

House by allowing parents to place limits on their own children’s ability to check out particular
books. But the District cannot constitutionally allow the religious, political, or cultural
preferences of some parents to dictate what other people’s children should and should not be
allowed to read or place burdens on their ability to access fully protected ideas.
72.

The District’s restrictions apply to all elementary school students through sixth

73.

Even though Ms. Weber has provided her children with parental permission to

grade.

check out In Our Mothers’ House, the restrictions placed on the book unconstitutionally interfere
with their ability to access the ideas and viewpoints contained in the book.
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74.

Even with parental permission, the District’s restriction places a prior restraint on

the ability of Plaintiffs and other students to read In Our Mothers’ House that does not exist for
comparable books. With other books, Plaintiffs and other students can access the book while
browsing the library shelves, thumb through the book, and reread a favorite passage or look at a
favorite picture without having to go through the process of checking the book out of the library.
But before they can even open the covers of In Our Mothers’ House, students must first get a
written note from their parents, find the librarian, wait their turn to speak with the librarian, ask
to check out the book, and wait while the librarian verifies that she has parental permission to do
so. The First Amendment does not permit the government to place these unequal burdens on
accessing particular books based on the books’ viewpoint.
75.

Even more importantly, the restriction of access places an unconstitutional

viewpoint-based stigma on Plaintiffs and other students who wish to read the book. It sends the
message to the school community that students who read In our Mothers’ House are reading a
“bad” book and that the ideas contained in the book are unacceptable and should not be
discussed. The District’s public statements that the book was removed because it has
“homosexual themes” or constitutes “advocacy of homosexuality” reinforces that stigmatizing
message.
76.

Indeed, segregating In Our Mothers’ House from other books about children’s

families directly undermines the book’s message of inclusion and diversity. The parents who
complained about In Our Mothers’ House argued that including the book on the library shelves
“normalized a lifestyle that we don’t agree with.” By appeasing those parents and segregating
the book from stories about other families, the District conveys the message to all students –
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including students who have same-sex parents and students who do not – that families with
same-sex parents are not acceptable in the school community.
Class Action Allegations
77.

Plaintiffs are members of a proposed class of current and future students in

District elementary schools where In Our Mothers’ House was removed from the shelves.
78.

Approximately 600 students are enrolled in Parkside Elementary School;

approximately 800 students are enrolled in Snow Horse Elementary School; approximately 840
students are enrolled in South Weber Elementary School; and approximately 700 students are
enrolled in Windridge Elementary School.
79.

There are questions of law and fact that are common to the Class, including, but

not limited to, the factual and legal questions about whether the District’s removal of In Our
Mothers’ House from the library shelves in those schools violates the First Amendment.
80.

Plaintiffs’ claims that the viewpoint-based decision to remove In Our Mothers’

House from the library shelves violates their rights under the First and Fourteenth Amendment
are typical of the claims of the Class.
81.

As current students in a District elementary school where In Our Mothers’ House

was removed from the library shelves, Plaintiffs will fairly and adequately protect the interests of
the Class.
82.

The District’s decision to remove In Our Mothers’ House from the shelves of all

elementary school libraries in the District and restrict student access to the book causes the
District and its employees and agents to act on grounds generally applicable to the Class, thereby
making it appropriate for this Court to grant injunctive relief and any corresponding declaratory
relief to the Class as a whole pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23(b)(2).
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CLAIM FOR RELIEF
Against Davis School District
Civil Action for Deprivation of Constitutional Rights
Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983
83.

Plaintiffs reincorporate the allegations of paragraphs 1-82 as this paragraph 83.

84.

Pursuant to the School Library Media Policies, the District Library Media

Committee had final policymaking authority for the District with respect to removing In Our
Mothers’ House from library shelves in the District.
85.

Moreover, Superintendent Bowles, who has been delegated the power to enforce

the general policies of the school board, has ratified and acquiesced in the decision of the District
Library Media Committee to remove In Our Mothers’ House from library shelves.
86.

District agents and employees who removed In Our Mothers’ House from library

shelves in the District and restricted access to the book were acting pursuant to the District’s
policy, custom, or practice.
87.

The District unconstitutionally removed In Our Mothers’ House from the library

shelves and restricted access to the book to appease constituents who disagree with the ideas
contained in the book.
88.

Utah’s sex-education law, U.C.A. 1953 § 53A-13-101, does not provide a valid

justification for removing In Our Mothers’ House from the library shelves and restricting access
to the book.
89.

Utah’s sex-education law, U.C.A. 1953 § 53A-13-101, does not require that In

Our Mothers’ House be removed from the library shelves because the elementary school library
is not part of the school curriculum for purposes of the statute, books on the library shelves are
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not “instructional materials” under the statute, and library books depicting a family with samesex parents do not constitute endorsement or advocacy of homosexuality.
90.

If Utah’s sex-education law, U.C.A. 1953 § 53A-13-101, did require that In Our

Mothers’ House be removed from the library shelves, then the statute would be unconstitutional
as applied because the statute facially discriminates on the basis of a book’s viewpoint; courts
have held that such viewpoint discrimination is permissible in the context of curricular speech
but is constitutionally impermissible in the context of a school library.
91.

Removing In Our Mothers’ House from the library shelves and restricting access

to the book has interfered with the ability of Plaintiffs and the Class to access the ideas contained
in the book by, among other things, imposing additional hurdles on students who wish to read the
book, preventing students from browsing through the book without going through the formal
process of checking the book out, and stigmatizing the ideas contained in the book and the
students who read it.
92.

The District’s restriction on In Our Mothers’ House and its stated position that

keeping the book on the library shelves would violate Utah’s sexual education law creates a
credible threat that any other book that is deemed to contain “homosexual themes” will also be
removed.
93.

The District’s decision to remove In Our Mothers’ House from the library shelves

and restrict access to the book violates the rights of Plaintiffs and the Class under the First
Amendment, which is made applicable to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment.
94.

Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983, the District is liable for, under color of state law,

violating the rights of Plaintiffs and the Class under the First and Fourteenth Amendments.
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95.

Unless restrained by this Court, the District will continue to violate the First and

Fourteenth Amendment rights of Plaintiffs and the Class.
96.

Plaintiffs and the Class have no adequate remedy at law for this continuing

violation of their federal constitutional rights.
PRAYER FOR RELIEF
WHEREFORE, for the reasons stated above, Plaintiffs and the Class request that the
Court enter judgment in their favor, and against the District, for full relief, including the
following:
A. A permanent injunction requiring the District to return copies of In Our Mothers’
House to the elementary school library shelves and requiring the District to allow
students to access the book on the same terms and conditions as other books in the
library at a comparable reading level;
B. A permanent injunction prohibiting the District from removing or restricting access to
additional books in the school libraries based on a purported concern that the library
books contain “homosexual themes” or “advocacy of homosexuality”;
C. A declaratory judgment finding that the District’s actions violate Plaintiffs’ and the
Class’s First Amendment rights under the United States Constitution, as applied to
the states through the Fourteenth Amendment;
D. A declaration that the District may not rely upon U.C.A. 1953 § 53A-13-101 to
remove or restrict access to library books that purportedly contain “homosexual
themes” or “advocacy of homosexuality”;
E. Nominal damages in the amount of $1.00 for the violation of Plaintiffs and the
Class’s constitutional rights;
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F. Plaintiffs’ and the Class’s costs and attorneys’ fees herein pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §
1988; and
G. Such other relief as the Court deems just and appropriate under the circumstances.
Dated: November 13, 2012

Respectfully Submitted,
/s/ John Mejia

Joshua A. Block*
Leslie Cooper*
ACLU FOUNDATION, INC.
125 Broad Street, Floor 18
New York, New York 10004
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]

John Mejia (USB No. 13965)
Leah Farrell (USB No. 13696)
ACLU OF UTAH FOUNDATION, INC.
355 North 300 West
Salt Lake City, Utah 84103
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]

* Application for admission
pro hac vice to follow

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