How would you feel if your favourite book were banned? Awful, angry, and disappointed, right? There has been a constant rise in book banning around the world, which greatly affects the youths' developing minds. My name is Abbie, and I am a student with a great concern over book censorship. Students should not be restricted from their freedom to read and let school districts and local councils dictate which books are right and just. Hence, it is imperative that books should be available to the public, as it promotes freedom and benefits their knowledge of the world. Banning books limits youths' knowledge about the world and issues within society. This restricts individuals from being able to face certain issues and know how to deal with them. …show more content…
Being unaware of common topics such as ‘sex education’ only increases the rate of the issues within youth sexual health. Issues such as STI’s, teen pregnancy, and unhealthy relationships. Banning youth from common knowledge sets them up for failure in the ‘real’ world and the societal issues within it. So why should we be sheltered away from the world, rather than knowing the truth about the world? We must be informed about the issues authors are arguing rather than silencing them because some ‘activists’ believe it is inappropriate. So, rules should be implemented to ensure books aren’t banned or censored. As such, banning books limits individuals' knowledge, so books should be available to the public to enforce youths' knowledge of the world. Although books are banned …show more content…
Books are a way to escape reality and strengthen one's mental health and wellbeing. An associate professor of Economics and Education explains “Books can change outcomes for students when they see people who look like they are represented.” Seeing people like you is important since it motivates you to overcome obstacles. Representation encourages people to reach for their goals and lifts minorities to identify their self-worth. It can give people comfort in being represented. Banning books impacts minorities to behave or think differently due to their lack of representation. For instance, constantly seeing a stereotypical representation of your culture, you may feel embarrassed, self-conscious and humiliated that you are portrayed this way. So why ban the books that portray issues within society? The issues that youth struggle with. Issues such as sexuality, alcohol and drug use. Issues that should be discussed rather than ignored and silenced. Restricting individuals from being able to sympathize with similar issues can make them feel alienated, so authors should be allowed to voice their
Book banning denies readers access to different viewpoints and experiences. When certain books are removed from circulation, readers are denied the opportunity to engage with different cultures, beliefs, and viewpoints. This bias involves ignorance and reinforces stereotypes, blocking social progress and understanding. In educational settings, book banning challenges the pursuit of knowledge and critical thinking. By restricting access to certain books, teachers are forced to limit their ability to provide students with a well-rounded education.
It is an overlooked topic that should be considered by everyone because, in turn, this will hurt a child's education. It also goes to show how kids will lack their creative side of learning because they are lacking the opportunity to explore the different perspectives being explored in books and how to incorporate them into their own creative endeavor. Also seen through Text 4: Book Bans Are Really About Oppression of Diverse Ideas,” it conveys, “As a parent, I know that books should be viewed as tools of enlightenment, not tools of oppression.” This quotation also demonstrates how, despite the fact that not all parents are against book banning, one that is against it is aware of the bigger picture book banning may have on their children as well for children in general. This parent takes into consideration the way books should be used, rather than the way they should be
Banned for good or for bad? 11,300 books have been banned since 1982. Books banned for language or explicit content should not be banned from everyone. Banned books could be for the better. If you don't like a book don't read it, but don't take the privilege away from others.
Behind the Book Bans In contemporary society, few debates engender as much passion and controversy as the issue of book banning within educational institutions. Ideologies and beliefs are influenced by who and what we surround ourselves with, with a majority of our adolescents spending time in school the content that is presented there can heavily affect our opinions and views of the world. The practice of book banning in public schools has sparked intense discourse among various stakeholders, each with their own perspectives and interests. Among these stakeholders are students, who seek intellectual exploration and freedom; teachers, tasked with fostering open-mindedness and intellectual curiosity; parents, concerned with the moral and educational
What makes a book so bad that it must be taken off shelves and banished from the public’s eyes? What is contained in the pages that society must be protected from? Who are the leaders given the authority to decide what is “good” and what is “bad”? A seventeen-year-old sits in their room embedded in a book that banishes society to darkness. Her eyes read the words of conflict and impurity written on the pages.
Benjamin Franklin once wrote, “If all printers were determined not to print anything till they were sure it would offend nobody, there would be very little printed.” Books are being outlawed for trying to spread knowledge to young and impressionable minds. Several states have begun the process of censoring books, also referred to as burning books. The censorship of these books stems from concerned parents and politicians who believe that the messages shared on the pages of certain books are unfit for the eyes of growing children and young adults. The process of banning books needs to be stopped because it limits freedom of speech, restricts self-discovery and representation, and creates less exposure to different perspectives.
Nowadays, books are being banned from schools, left and right. It is understandable that some situations may be tough to read about, but they are daily occurrences in some places. People are banning books because of the discomfort that comes from them, not thinking about the potential consequences of their actions. There are many reasons to read painful literature, and by banning books, we are restricting our future generations from potentially crucial knowledge. Although uncomfortable, the topics talked about in these books are very real and reading about them is beneficial in many ways.
A student goes into the library and decides to look for the book he needs to get for his class. He looks for hours trying to find it. He finally goes and asks the librarian where it is, but she gives him his worst nightmare. The book was banned by one of his classmates' parents as they thought it was inappropriate for their kid. This is happening all over the world because people are banning books that they think are unsuitable for their kids to read.
One of the most common reasons books are banned is because of racial topics covered in books. Debating the controversial issue happens often among scholars and concerned parents who are either fighting for the right to read the books or the right to ban the books. Throughout the history of the United States racial equality commonly presents itself as an issue. Censorship against the oppressed is a way racism and oppression are perpetuated. Burying the issue in a pile of censored books is not a way to solve the problem of inequality in the United States.
But the truth is, book banning is always unjustified since the parents and politicians who ban these books are restricting other children from getting the knowledge they need to learn about life. To explain, the National Coalition Against Censorship writes, “Even books or materials that many find ‘objectionable’ may have educational value, and the decision about what to use in the classroom should be based on professional judgments and standards, not individual preferences” (ProCon). It is admirable that parents would like to protect other children, but the decision on whether a book should be removed from other students should be based on professional opinions, not just a parent’s perspective on the book. Even then, these professionals could judge the books in the wrong way, causing the book to be banned and not serve its purpose. Therefore, since children are our future, books shouldn’t be banned, so children can be educated on important issues and lead the world out of hate and pain.
Throughout society, many people fight over whether or not books should be banned. Books have been debated in different school districts for a very long time due to the topics involved in some of the books written. Some people believe that many books are classics and should be kept since they are a part of our history. They believe books can help guide people on how to act and teach a student many things. On the other hand, other people believe that books should be banned due to the many topics that aren’t suitable for children and students to learn about.
In the year 2022, over 2,500 books were banned in total. Books continue to get banned every year, which can negatively impact students in many ways. While some books can expose students to sensitive topics, books should not be banned in schools because they limit students' perspectives and decrease students’ engagement in reading. Books, especially banned books, can broaden students' minds and if they are banned then their perspectives will be limited. A teacher in Georgia read a book for her class and was "fired for reading a best-selling children’s book to her class, My Shadow is Purple" (McArdle and Wilkerson's).
Banned books can be a threat to children and teenagers. There are many reasons parents and guardians agree with this. Some parents or guardians want to be able to control what their child reads and what they are exposed to. Children or teenagers should not be exposed to inappropriate content that is not appropriate for their age group. Some other religious authorities want to control the spread of dangerous ideas and the information available to their followers.
“While the debate over book banning continues to divide Americans, perhaps one thing everyone can agree upon is that books are powerful, often provocative, and may even change the way we think” (Text 1). Books continue to be questioned by people as to whether they should be banned due to being sexually explicit, having offensive language, and so many other reasons. Some may see it fit to ban a specific book, whereas others do not agree with the banning of a book. It is for this reason that there is contradictions between the banning of books today. There are a few different reasons as to why books should not be banned.
Book banning is a severely demanding issue in the US. In 2022, 2541 different titles were attempted to be banned; there has been a 60% increase in book banning since 2023. Book banning would, for one, affect people who want to read the books that are being banned, but does the thought that book banning can affect children's mental health and knowledge ever seem relevant and applicable? Books being banned can affect children all over the world and compromise the jobs of librarians and media specialists. Book banning has been an ongoing issue since 1637, but only recently has there been a bigger fight towards the end of this problem.