Banning Books

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imagine a future in which library shelves, once teeming sources of knowledge, resemble a bleak wasteland. Where books once stood side by side, they now lie scattered and forgotten, blanketed in layers of dust. Here, amidst the stillness, the absence of words echoes, drowning out the whispers of history's secrets and the tales of heroes long forgotten. In this desolate landscape, there is no resonance of ideas, no vibrant exchange of thought—only an empty void, where the very essence of human intellect is suppressed by the unyielding grasp of censorship. While this scenario is not yet a reality, it is a looming possibility. Book bans are becoming more widespread, helping to silence voices and perspectives that some may find controversial. With the suppression of countless ideas …show more content…

The act of banning books serves as a way to stifle intellectual development as well as critical and independent thinking. Literature has always been a pathway for challenging perspectives, myriad ideas, and strengthening intellectual growth. By succumbing to banning books, the free exchange of ideas, the scope of knowledge, and the development of a well-rounded intellect are all in jeopardy. The harm being done to the population is great, but those who are the most negatively impacted are the students in our schools. The non-profit organization PEN America lists 3,362 books banned in public school classrooms and libraries between July 1, 2022, and June 31, 2023, in the United States. This enforced ban caused more than 1,480 authors, illustrators, and translators' works to be removed from the shelves (Meehan et al.). While the banning of these books was both welcomed and criticized, it is important to note the negative impact it poses on education. According to an article from Teachers College at Columbia University, “[Book bans] diminish the quality of education students

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