Banned Books

1205 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: 2nd amendment of the united states of america

Book Banning

The first amendment of the U.S. Constitution states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances (Buchanan).” With the banning and the challenging of books all over the U.S. I believe that our first amendment is being jeopardized. We should be allowed to read whatever we want to read it is our right according to the first amendment in the U.S. Constitution with freedom of speech.

Every year in the United States we have books being banned and challenged by many people who do not like the contents of books. When researching for this argument essay I found an article written by Rebecca Hagelin. Rebecca Hagelin is the author of Home Invasion: Protecting Your Family in a Culture That’s Gone Stark Raving Mad and the vice president of communications and marketing at the Heritage Foundation (Lankford).

In Rebecca’s article there are many things that I do not agree with. The first argument that I have to disagree with is when Rebecca stated that the American Library Association recommends books for young readers, but these recommendations reflect their liberal values and the books recommended by the ALA contain cures words and graphic sexual information (Hagelin). I got in contact with the ALA and I asked them, “Do your librarians or any of your higher branches read any of the books on any of your book lists?” I got a response back from a lady named Angela Maycock who is the assistant director for the Office for Intellectual Freedom. Angela responded saying, “I assume when you ask about ALA’s boo...

... middle of paper ...

...rtant for people to read it helps exercise the mind and allow it grow and learn new material.

Book banning in the United States and anywhere else in the world I feel should be abolished. Books are published and written for a reason. The reason is to expand the mind to new things. Sure some books are better than others but there is no reason to challenge or ban books.

Works Cited

American Library Association. N.p., 4 Mar. 2009. Web. 5 Apr. 2011.

Brian, Buchanan J. "About the First Amendment." First Amendment Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Apr. 2011.

"Book Banning Protects Family Values." Book Banning. Ed. Ronnie D. Lankford.

Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2008. At Issue. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context.

Web. 5 Apr. 2011.

"Reading." The Gale Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence. Ed. Jerome Kagan and Susan B. Gall. Online Edition. Detroit: Gale, 2007.

Show More
Related

  • My Sister’s Keeper Shouldn't be a Challenged Book

    1499 Words  | 3 Pages

    The American Library Association, ALA, is an organization that, among other things, compiles a list every year of the most frequently challenged books. “The American Library Association actively defends the right of library users to read, seek information, and speak freely as guaranteed by the First Amendment.” (ALA) Many times, the books on this list are challenged by parents with the want to protect their children from things they don’t believe to be appropriate. “Only parents have the right and responsibility to restrict the access of their children” (ALA) Even with these good intentions, by challenging a book, they are trying to challenge the authors’ thoughts and words, their First Amendment rights. These books usually contain complicated ideas, issues, and information that cause parents to not want them where their kids can read them. The novel My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult is a challenged book because of its homosexuality, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexism, sexually explicit scenes, violence, and being unsuited to its age group; by all means this novel should not be challenged because, it’s use of offensive language is only used to intensify certain situations, and through all of the controversial issues it employs, it puts in perspective just how far someone would go for his/her family.

    Read More

  • Banning Books in Schools

    973 Words  | 2 Pages

    The practice of the censorship of books in schools has been prevalent due to the explicit content of them. Parents have been complaining to schools about books that count as required reading because they disapprove with the points made in the book. If a book consists of offensive or sexually explicit material, then parents would challenge the schools about them in order to prevent their children from reading them. Censorship in general has been an intensely debated issue because it is considered an infringement to the First Amendment of the United States Constitution while others argue it is used to conceal inappropriate things (Aliprandini and Sprague). The banning of books in school curriculum has also been debated since parents see certain books as inappropriate while others argue that banning them hinders student learning. Against the censorship of books in schools, Fenice Boyd and Nancy Bailey, authors of Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, believe that banning books creates a barrier between students and intellectual development (Boyd and Bailey, 655). Banning books from schools and removing them from the curriculum prevents students from exploring different ideas and developing creativity and critical thinking skills.

    Read More

  • Vonnegut's Argument Against Banning Books

    580 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Constitution states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances." Even though books may influence young minds with negative thinking, society shouldn’t ban books because it prohibits learning and it violates the First Amendment in the Constitution. Banning books takes away the author’s right, some books can be very educational, and it takes away the children’s choice of what they get to read.

    Read More

  • Book Banning and First Amendment Right

    1699 Words  | 4 Pages

    People ban or challenge books because they don't want other to read them because of their content, even thought we see most of it in our everyday life. To stop book banning and to keep books on the shelves; if a book has inappropriate content and someone wants to buy it or get it from the library or store they have to get the parents consent. This will also keep parents informed on what their child is reading.

    Read More

  • The Tyranny of Banned Books

    1070 Words  | 3 Pages

    "Book Banning." Current Issues: Macmillian Social Science Library. Detroit: Gale, 2010. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 31 Jan. 2011.

    Read More

  • Why Is Flowers For Algernon Banned

    971 Words  | 2 Pages

    Banning a book takes a person’s rights away that have already banned guaranteed by the First Amendment. Congress can not make any laws that interfere with an individual’s rights. The First Amendment “protects an individual’s

    Read More

  • The Banning of Books in American Schools

    1054 Words  | 3 Pages

    Trelease, Jim. "Book Banning Violates Children and Young Adult Freedoms." Book Banning. Ed. Ronnie D. Lankford. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2007. At Issue. Rpt. from "Censorship and Children's Books." Trelease-on-Reading.com. 2006.Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 31 Mar. 2014.

    Read More

  • To Ban or Not to Ban books: The Color Purple

    1309 Words  | 3 Pages

    Objectionable content found in challenged books across the country can range from some vulgar language, to rape and incest, and even to explicit sex scenes. However objectionable these topics may be, high schoolers are already exposed to them in some way, whether it be through listening to popular music on the radio, watching television, or browsing the internet. Many parents, and even board members of some schools, object certain books for a variety of reasons. What they have failed to realize is this: if they are so concerned about what their children read in school, are they as concerned about monitoring what they hear on the radio, see on television, and search online? Many schools across the country are now taking the technological route when it comes to teaching. This often means students can have access to the internet while in their classroom. This point goes back to the prior statement of ...

    Read More

  • Banning Books

    4607 Words  | 10 Pages

    Banning Books “It’s not just the books under fire now that worry me. It is the books that will never be written, the books that will never be read. And all due to the fear of censorship. As always, young readers will be the real losers” (Blume 1999). Judy Blume can not explain the problem of book censorship any clearer.

    Read More

  • Censorship and Book Banning

    1822 Words  | 4 Pages

    Book banning is a prime target for censorship. Censorship in print media, notably book banning, occurs across homes, schools, stores, and other facilities daily. Censorship in the schools is the most widespread and exposed place for book banning. Do administrators and school boards have the right to ban books? Are we taking away the rights of children to read? In case of Island Trees Schools District V. Pico in New York, the Supreme Court gave the school board broad discretion to frame curriculum and teach civic and moral values. This case resulted in the school board removing ten books from the school library for being "anti-american, anti-christian, anti-semitic, and just plain filthy." Another case involving book banning was Hazelwood School District V. Kuhlmeier. In this case the Supreme Court again gave school officials the broad discretion to control curriculum. This time the court left open the question if this affects the school libraries. In Olathe, Kansas, the district's superintendent made the decision to remove all copies of Nancy Gardner's Annie On My Mind because of it imposing views for gay actions. This standpoint resulted in a public book burning by a homophobic community group. At Hempfield High School in Western Penn...

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay Of Banning Books

    692 Words  | 2 Pages

    People should be allowed to read whatever they want to read, even if it is a touchy subject to someone else. Although some people mainly believe in the banning of books due to explicit content, it actually causes a negative effect on people and children. Not only does it take away the people’s first amendment rights, but it also shelters children from real life situations that might affect their future. Banning books is unconstitutional and shelters children.

    Read More

  • Censorship In Schools Essay

    1440 Words  | 3 Pages

    The most debatable and controversial form of censorship today is the banning of books in school libraries. Banning books that educate students is wrong and selfish. Censorship of books in school libraries is neither uncommon nor an issue of the past. Books with artistic and cultural worth are still challenged constantly by those who want to control what others read. The roots of bigotry and illiteracy that fuel efforts to censor books and free expression are unacceptable and unconditional. Censoring school books in libraries can often lead to censorship of our basic freedoms guaranteed in the First Amendment. In some cases, a minority ends up dictating the majority in censorship cases. To be told what is permissible reading material and what is not is a direct violation of the First Amendment of the Constitution.

    Read More

  • Censorship in Schools is not Justifiable

    950 Words  | 2 Pages

    Coatney, Sharon. "Banned Books: A School Librarian's Perspective." Time. Time Inc., 22 Sept. 2000. Web. 11 Mar. 2014.

    Read More

  • Censorship in Schools

    3744 Words  | 8 Pages

    The Houston Chronicle, pp. C14. Retrieved December 2, 2002 from Lexis-Nexis/Academic database. This article emphasizes the point that censors go too far when they attempt to not only ban a book for their own children but want to remove it altogether from a school library, so that other students cannot read it.

    Read More

  • The Banning Of Books In Brave New World

    1429 Words  | 3 Pages

    In our worlds and in our society, books and reading have become very popular and have a big impact on today’s world and education. Books are all around us and are always being read and some people choose to challenge and/or banned them from places such as a school library.At any given time, a teacher, student, parent, or administrator can be reading a book and think it is explicit or offensive in any way then they can choose to go to someone and see about getting the book removed from the library. Books get banned for all kinds of reasons. They usually are banned for using offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to any age group. An example, since Jayne was telling Mrs. Pope about her book, “Brave New World”

    Read More

More about Banned Books

Open Document