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.

A nine-member review committee and Superintendent Karla LaOrange considered the challenge and decided that the adapted story based on the famous play did not meet the criteria of “harmful to minors” laid out in a 2024 state law, through House Bill 710. 

A parent on Jan. 5 submitted the formal challenge, claiming the story deals with adult themes not appropriate for their fifth grade son. The district redacted the parent’s name in documents EdNews received through a records request.

The story, according to the complaint, includes premarital sex and forced marriage. Also, a character asked a man to treat her like a dog, another woman was ridiculed for her body shape, and a character tried to use a love potion to force someone to love him.

“These ideas and attitudes should not be introduced to students who are this young and impressionable,” the complaint states.

The review committee — made up of teachers, a librarian, an administrator and a parent — 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 in a report she wrote on March 31. The story portrays friendship, the consequences of one’s choices and taking responsibility for those choices, according to her report. Upon reviewing the story and the committee’s report, LaOrange decided that the story is not harmful to minors and will remain in the curriculum.

In a phone interview, LaOrange said the parent who filed the complaint appealed the superintendent’s decision, which brought the issue to the school board, a process laid out in district policy.

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. The trustees then make a final decision. For this complaint, trustees voted unanimously on June 1 to keep the story in the curriculum.

“I think we have a thorough process that provides input from parents, teachers, administrators and a committee making a recommendation to the superintendent,” LaOrange told EdNews.

An adapted version of the play

Fifth graders in Idaho Falls are not reading the original source material written by the Bard.

The district uses the Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts version of the play, which is available to download for free online. 

According to the review committee’s report, the adapted version maintains the structure and themes of the original work while modifying the language and content for accessibility and age appropriateness.

The report notes that Shakespeare is typically introduced in secondary school, but the adapted version provides a foundational understanding of dialogue, stage directions and dramatic storytelling. It also exposes students to classical literature and supports vocabulary development.

The adapted story includes definitions to help students understand the language. For example, it defines the words vexation, renowned, cunning, beseech, abjure and phrases like “tear a cat in,” which means to shout and behave wildly.

The 2024 legislation

Gov. Brad Little signed HB 710 into law in April 2024, and it went into effect that summer.

Sen. Cindy Carlson, R-Riggins, and Rep. Jaron Crane, R-Nampa, sponsored the bill. It passed 45-24 in the House and 24-11 in the Senate.

Called the “Children’s School and Library Protection Act,” the bill 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.” 

As EdNews previously reported, the bill led librarians across the state to rewrite agreements, consult with legal counsel, and limit how and when minors can enter their buildings.

The bill 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.”

Update on a slew of challenges in Twin Falls

While Idaho Falls has wrapped up the review process, Twin Falls is still working through 103 requests one individual has filed since December.

As EdNews reported in February, parent Cierra Clarke said nearly all of her challenges are based on sexualized content that is inappropriate for children.

Eva Craner, spokesperson for Twin Falls School District, told EdNews on Wednesday that of the 103 challenges that Clarke has filed, the district has completed 56 reviews and removed three books from the district’s collection.

For each challenge, the district has followed its policy and created a review committee of three volunteers. Craner said the logistics of organizing the committees has been time-consuming. In six months of reviewing books, the district is a little over halfway done.

“I will say that we’re moving at a much faster pace this summer,” Craner said.

One district librarian has read 23 books, including a series of 15 manga books called “Assassination Classroom.” A parent who volunteered to review books has put in 40 hours of work, Craner said.

“This is someone that doesn’t work for the district, so that’s challenging as well,” she said.