UTAH, July 15, 2026 (Gephardt Daily) — Maine-based novelist Stephen King has one question after Utah Board of Education banned “Different Seasons,” a 1982 collection of four of his novellas that includes stories that were adapted into landmark films, “Stand by Me” (1986) and “The Shawshank Redemption” (1994).
The “Different Seasons,” previously allowed to public school students in the 7th-12th grades, was banned as of July 6 for having “objective sensitive material,” defined by Utah Code as “pornographic or indecent material” that could be harmful to young readers.
“They banned DIFFERENT SEASONS in Utah,” King said on his social media accounts.
“Contains STAND BY ME and THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, stories of friendship and courage. Readable by teens, too.”
King’s question?
“What’s wrong with these people?”
