Copies of "Push" by Sapphire must now be pulled from every public school library in Utah, including those serving Millcreek students, after Granite School District joined two other districts in removing the novel.

The statewide ban took effect Thursday, Aug. 20. It is the 37th title removed under House Bill 29, the 2024 law that forces all Utah public schools to drop a book once three districts label it "objective sensitive material." Davis, Granite and Washington County school districts each voted to remove "Push," triggering the mandate.

Granite operates 86 schools serving the Millcreek area and surrounding communities. The district did not release a public statement explaining its decision. Davis School District's sensitive materials review committee said the book has no serious value for minors, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.

The 1996 novel follows Precious Jones, an illiterate 16-year-old in Harlem who is raped by her father and beaten by her mother. She finds a path to literacy and healing through a teacher. The story's film adaptation, retitled "Precious," won two Academy Awards in 2010.

A small cluster drives statewide bans

Under HB 29, just three of Utah's 42 public school districts can impose a removal on all the rest. Reporting by TownLift found that the same handful of districts appear repeatedly on the banned list. Davis shows up on nearly every recent entry, frequently paired with Washington, Tooele, Jordan, Nebo or Granite.

This is not the first time Granite has contributed to a statewide ban. The district was also among those whose removal of Stephen King's "Bag of Bones" earlier in 2026 triggered that title's statewide prohibition, according to Book Riot.

Local board member questioned the law

Granite School District Board member Julie Jackson, who represents Precinct 1 covering Holladay and Millcreek, has voiced concerns about HB 29's effect on local control. In a June 1 interview with the Millcreek Journal, Jackson said: "Communities know best what is right for their kids, not legislators."

Jackson was speaking generally about the law at the time, not about the "Push" removal specifically. She has not issued a public statement on the Aug. 20 ban.

What the law requires

Once a book crosses the three-district threshold, every remaining district must destroy all copies. The 37 titles now banned statewide include works by Toni Morrison, Margaret Atwood, John Green, Judy Blume and George R.R. Martin.

A legal challenge to HB 29, filed in January 2026 by award-winning authors and two Utah high school students, remains pending.