Argumentative Essay: Banned Books

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The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, The Giver, by Lois Lowry, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Harry Potter, by J.K. Rowlings, The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hossenini, what do these books have in common? They are books on the American Library Association’s list of top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009. For various reasons, these books were found unsuitable for public audiences, and an attempt was made to ban them. From profanity to sexual content to homosexuality, groups have found reasons to challenge the books. Banning books that some people deem inappropriate from high school libraries underrates youthful intelligence, clouds history and dilutes our culture to fit a mold of conformity. Schools, even religiously affiliated ones, should focus on education and actually encouraging their students to read rather than inhibiting them from using their …show more content…

That means because a political viewpoint is offensive to some one, it is inappropriate for a school library. What this leads to is children who will become legal adults, who can vote, that can say the reason they believe the way they do is because that is what their parents believe. That is an informed decision, which is what causes an ignorant society. Judith Krug, of ALA’s Intellectual Freedom Office, has written: “ Censorship limits the ability of future voters and leaders to discern right from wrong, truth from falsehood, appropriate mode of operation as opposed to inappropriate.” (Flowers, Helen. “Inquiring Students Want to Know: Who Tries to Ban Books and Why?” #31) Books open up a different point of view that may be what a person of any age needs to make an informed decision. Charles William Eliot said it best when he said “Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of

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