To Ban Or Not To Ban? “If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.” (Haruki Murakami) I spent my time reading books the majority of my growing years. I used books as a way to enter into a new world of my own, full of all kinds of imaginations. And I know many others did as well. Around 1982, books began to be challenged in the U.S due to the content they had. Some of the reasons included: violence, sexual content, race/racism,religious reasons, depressing tragic outcomes, bad language and the list goes on. Due to books being challenged, many organizations came together, like the American Library Association (ALA) to form Banned Books Week. Banned Books Week is an annual event …show more content…
Of course there is an age and a time for when a kid should learn about these things. And school and library should not be allowing kids to read books with this sort of information because they don’t have the right to teach certain types of material. Parents have the right to say when and what material can be exposed to their children. On ProCon.org, the article “Banned Books- Top 3 Pro and Cons” explains why books need to be banned due to the harm it can cause on young children. “ According to Jenni White, a former public school science teacher, "Numerous studies on the use of graphic material by students indicate negative psychological effects," including having "more casual sex partners and [beginning] having sex at younger ages."(ProCon), they explain how being exposed to certain material can have a negative effect on the children. If that being the case, it could possibly mean that they are influenced by the material in the books and it can have a negative impact. “It is not a matter of 'sheltering' kids. It is a matter of guiding them toward what is best.” (ProCon), parents only want what is best for their kids. So they will do whatever it takes to give them the world, even if it means going above and beyond. Even if it means that they have to ban books in schools and
In 1982 was when Banned Books Week was introduced to the world (ASJA, 1). “Banned Books Week is the national book community’s annual celebration of the freedom to read”. In the United States, the First Amendment protects American citizens from being denied the right to read any book they desire (Banned Books, 1). Banned Books Week is usually on, the last week of September (Cho,1). Banning a book is called when the content in the novel is not suitable for certain ages (American, 1). Books can be
In the article 10 Reasons for Banning Books and 5 Much Better Reasons not to, it states that the books teach us vocabulary, history, and new ways of thinking. “Every year I receive at least a dozen invitations to be commencement speaker at colleges and high schools. My books are probably more widely used in schools than those of any other living American fiction writer.”-excerpt from Kurt Vonnegut’s letter. Books are known for their choice of complex vocabulary. We use non-fictional books to learn about real events in history. Non-fictional books and articles show children a new way of thinking. Many books are used in an educational
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.
Banning books from public schools and public libraries is wrong. It’s irrational to have a parent or school board member’s opinion determine what a school district should be reading. Books including and not limited to, The Scarlet Letter, The Great Gatsby, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Lord of the Flies, and Animal Farm all have one thing in common. They have all at one time or another been subject to banishment. These literary classics have been around for a long time and proved to be vital to the education of many, especially children and adolescents. These novels teach values and educate children about world affairs that can not come from an everyday experience. These controversial novels encompass the materials that ultimately boost our educational wealth. Banning books infringe
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.
The censorship of books is a division of censorship that, apart from Internet censorship, receives the most publicity. Banning books is the most popular form of such censorship. Many banned books are literary classics, such as The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, which was listed as the number 6 most challenged or banned book in a list compiled by the American Civil Liberties Union in 1997.
Censorship in School Libraries 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.
"Don't join the book burners... Don't be afraid to go in your library and read every book." said Dwight D. Eisenhower. This quote means that you should not ban a book just because it contains some inappropriate language or graphical content. In the article “Book Bannings on the Rise in US schools, says anti-censorship group”, by David Barnett, the non-fiction article talked about an anti-censorship group banning and burning books just because parents were concerned about the graphical content.
Do you read books about our country's past? Do you think books should be banned because of romance and sexual language? Banned books could be used as a tool to learn about our history not to make parents made,however, i can understand if the language is very explicit. One of the key things about books is they show you the evolution of our past. Some people believe that books should not be banned because they shape our history.
Also, being able to read is a privilege that not many people have, so why should people take that away? If a book is banned only for bad language or explicit scenes they should not be banned from everyone just that age group. “Think books that encourage people to do something illegal should be banned. Books that teach people how to kill themselves, molest children, or make bombs should be banned,” (What do you know about banned books? 1).
Although this is a strong claim, there is an even stronger claim that supports the idea of not banning and censoring books.
Banning Books in Schools Recently, school administers have been banning books from the library. Books are an important part of a student’s life because they help them explore and learn new things. They open a student’s mind to infinite possibilities and imaginations. Schools shouldn’t be able to ban certain books from students as it takes away their freedom to choose. Other people say schools are responsible for banning and protecting inappropriate books from their students.
The Board of Education has started to limit our rights as citizens of the United States of America. They have set new rules that infringe our civil rights. Things as such as limiting students to learn about real world problems such as war in other countries. The school has started express ourselves much less than we should be able to. Students can no longer read what they want anymore because they have started banning books.
If the books challenge is successful, the book will be banned. The official act of banning a book is its removal from a library or course material (“Banned & Challenged Books”). Board of Education, Island Trees School District v. Pico created the requirement that school libraries must bring books up to a board before a
Is banning books the best option? “More than 11,300 books have been challenged since 1982 according to the American Library Association,” (“About”). These 11,300 books have content that some people do not agree others should be reading. The challenged books may cause a conflict to a reader. One reason to resolve the conflict is by banning or burning books.