The novel that launched one of Park City's most celebrated Sundance premieres is now banned from every public school library in Utah, including those in the Park City School District.

"Push," the 1996 novel by author Sapphire, was removed statewide Thursday, Aug. 20, after three districts (Davis, Granite and Washington County) each determined the book contains "objective sensitive material," triggering an automatic ban under Utah's HB 29, KPCW reported.

The book tells the story of Precious Jones, an illiterate 16-year-old in Harlem who is abused by her parents and finds a teacher who helps her learn to write. Its film adaptation, retitled "Precious" and starring Gabourey Sidibe and Mariah Carey, premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, where it won the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award in the U.S. Dramatic competition. The film went on to win two Academy Awards.

"Push" is now the 37th title on Utah's statewide banned list, joining 36 books by 24 authors. More than half of the banned titles are written by women.

How the ban works

Under HB 29, signed by Gov. Spencer Cox in 2024, a book is automatically pulled from all 41 Utah school districts and more than 100 charter schools once three districts flag it as containing pornographic or indecent content. That means fewer than 10% of districts can force a removal affecting more than 670,000 students statewide, according to PEN America.

Once triggered, the Utah State Board of Education may hold a hearing within 60 days. If no hearing occurs, the ban stays. No hearing date has been announced for "Push."

State officials typically do not cite specific passages when adding a book to the list, KPCW reported.

Author responds

Sapphire, whose legal name is Ramona Lofton, responded on her website the day the ban took effect, KPCW reported.

"When we ban books like 'Push,' we are in danger of falling into the sinkholes of hate and prejudice and ignorance and of losing what little love we have left for each other," she wrote.

The ACLU of Utah filed a federal lawsuit, Vonnegut v. Utah, on Jan. 6 in U.S. District Court challenging HB 29 as unconstitutionally overbroad under the First Amendment. Plaintiffs include the estate of Kurt Vonnegut and several authors whose books appear on the banned list. "Push" is not among the titles in that case, but a ruling striking down the law could affect all 37 banned books.

No ruling has been issued.

What it means locally

The Park City School District has not publicly commented on the "Push" removal. Under HB 29, local districts have no discretion to keep a book once the statewide ban is triggered. The removal applies to every K-12 public school library in Utah regardless of whether the local board reviewed the title.

The 60-day hearing window runs through approximately mid-October.