Why Should Banned Books Be Taught In Schools

The dispute of whether banned books should be taught has been debated for years upon years. Although there is a simple solution that allows each individual to decide whether or not they are exposed to these “evil” banned books. This simple solution encompasses the creation of an optional class that’s curriculum is based on books that have been challenged or that are or have been banned. This class would still complete the obligatory state standards, which would make it equal to a normal English class. This is a simple middle ground in which these banned books can still be taught with the lessened concern of offending students, parents, etc. Censorship is the act of strictly examining books, movies, and other media and suppressing unacceptable parts. But this implores the question, who attains the right to decide what is acceptable and what is not? Kenneth Donelson, author of “A Few Safe Assumptions about Censorship and the Censor,” bluntly declares that any book, idea, teaching method, etc. could be censored by anyone, anywhere, anytime, for any reason (1973). This idea that anybody and everybody can censor anything and everything for whatever reason puts any and every book, movie, etc. in danger. Many sources of media are censored for what seem like illogical or even

To do this, it is important to educate them about the world around them. One way to accomplish this with the inclusion of banned books is to create a class that’s curriculum is based solely on banned and challenged books. Teaching banned books offers a realistic approach to how the world exists. “Banned Books: A Study of Censorship” by Jennifer Rossuck is a perfect example of how to create a class based around banned books. Rossuck plainly lays out her lesson plan, and explains how each banned book is learned and overall beneficial. Rossuck’s first unit is based on Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit