Utah Public Schools Ban 'Wicked' Novel Under Sensitive Materials Law

Utah public school libraries have removed Gregory Maguire's "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West" from shelves following a decision by the Utah State Board of Education on January 5, 2026. The novel, published in 1995 and the basis for the hit Broadway musical and recent film adaptations, was banned statewide alongside Stephen Chbosky's "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" and Jodi Picoult's "Nineteen Minutes".

The bans were triggered after the books were flagged for containing "objective sensitive materials"in three school districts: Davis County, Tooele County, and Washington County. Under Utah's Sensitive Materials Law, passed in 2022 and amended by H. B. 29 in 2024, a title is removed from all K-12 public school libraries across the state if it is deemed sensitive by three school districts or a combination of two districts and five charter schools. This brings the total number of statewide banned titles to 22, including works like Sarah J. Maas's "A Court of Thorns and Roses", Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse-Five", Toni Morrison's "The Bluest Eye", Khaled Hosseini's "The Kite Runner", and Maya Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings".

Maguire has described his novel as intended for adults, noting in a November 2024 interview that he included "somewhat raunchy material"early on to signal its mature content, distinguishing it from the PG-rated films and family-oriented Broadway production. The bans apply to all grade levels, including high schools, limiting access for older students who might engage with its themes of prejudice, identity, and moral complexity.

In response, the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah filed a federal lawsuit on January 6, 2026, in the U. S. District Court for the District of Utah on behalf of authors Elana K. Arnold, Ellen Hopkins, Amy Reed, the estate of Kurt Vonnegut, and two anonymous high school students. The suit argues the law violates the First Amendment by disregarding the educational and literary value of age-appropriate books. Tom Ford, staff attorney at the ACLU of Utah, stated: "The right to read and the right to free speech are inseparable. The First Amendment protects our freedom to read, learn, and share ideas free from unconstitutional censorship. This law censors constitutionally protected books, silences authors, and denies students access to ideas, in violation of the First Amendment rights of students and authors alike, and must be struck down. "

LGBTQ+ advocates and observers have noted the law's pattern of targeting books by marginalized voices, including those by LGBTQ+ authors like Chbosky, whose "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" addresses themes of sexual assault, mental health, and queer youth experiences. The ACLU emphasized that a disproportionate number of the 22 banned books were written by women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ writers, raising concerns about censorship stifling diverse perspectives essential for transgender people and other LGBTQ+ students navigating identity in educational settings. PEN America, which tracks nationwide book bans, reported over 6, 700 titles challenged in U. S. school districts for the 2024-2025 period, with "Nineteen Minutes" among the most frequently banned due to its depiction of a school shooting and date rape.

Maguire, a self-described advocate for children and books, has not yet publicly commented on the Utah ban, though his family legacy underscores the value of unrestricted access to literature. The Utah State Board of Education and Maguire's representatives have been contacted for further response. This case highlights ongoing tensions between state censorship efforts and free expression rights, particularly for LGBTQ+ communities relying on literature for representation and understanding.