Book banning is spanning nationwide, and it is depriving people of choice
By Camilla Lee ’28 - Dyker Middle School
In the past couple months, readers have noticed an increase in book banning as a result of complaints among parents and librarians. However, many wonder if they are taking it too far.
Readers are constantly challenging certain aspects of a book, such as obscenity, violence, heresy, and many more. The process of protesting for a book’s removal from a bookstore, library, or school curriculum are often wrongly argued.
Book banning is a serious issue that is rapidly rising in numbers all over America. But why is it happening? Why are classics like The Great Gatsby, To Kill a Mockingbird, and even The Wizard of Oz being withdrawn from access? Many believe reading is fundamental and that taking away books limits their freedom.
“Book banning prevents free speech,” said Sarah Lew, a librarian from Brooklyn Public Library. “People should be allowed to read what they choose. I became a librarian because of my passion for books, so not being able to share the love of books is heartbreaking for me.”
Censorship is defined as the suppression of parts of speech, communication, and media that are considered unacceptable to society. That is essentially what book banning is. People are challenging books with the aim to censor ideas and prohibit information. Sometimes, the censorship of books is made with good intentions, but that does not mean that everyone agrees and that the outcome is always right.
Various parents feel the need to safeguard their childrens’ minds, and as a result, take action against descriptions of profanity, war, or sex– topics that are deemed too much for young, still developing minds to handle. Most of the time, banned books depict relatable subjects that spark the reader's curiosity, or provide intricate plotlines and themes that allow their adolescent audience to explore diverse struggles. There is more to a book than swear words, and it is up to individuals to decide whether they want to approach difficult topics instead of parents, school board members, or librarians.
“Children should have free will in what they read, and teachers should have freedom in what they teach,” said Lew. “Especially books that talk about issues that should be discussed. Things like racism and the stigma around the LGBTQ+ community need to be addressed.”
In fact, a lot of the books being censored incorporate racist or LGBTQ+ themes in some way. For example, Toni Morrison’s novels tackle racism and sexual or gender identities, but they are repeatedly targeted because the dark moments in history and society that are written about are uncomfortable to certain audiences. The Bluest Eye and Beloved are some of her most challenged bestsellers.
Certain books may be banned for specific reasons, yet those reasons may be what readers find the most interesting. Like the novel, The Red Badge of Courage, written by Stephen Crane. The book has been banned for its graphic representation of war, while the realistic representation of human impact as a result of war is frequently what attracts readers.
Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry, by Mildred D. Taylor, is the tale of an African American family dealing with racism in Mississippi during the 1930s. The novel is repeatedly challenged for racial slurs and harsh illustrations of racial discrimination. The Outsiders, by S. E. Hinton, has been banned in numerous places for its portrayal of gang violence, drug and alcohol abuse, and family dysfunction, even though the book provides an honest, authentic voice to create a more understandable experience that appeals to teenagers and adults alike. Even the Captain Underpants series is on the American Library Association’s list of the top 100 most banned and challenged books from the past decade, mostly due to complaints from parents about violent imagery.
PEN America, a free speech advocacy organization, discovered that between July 2021 and March 2022, books had been banned in 2,899 schools across the country over the nine-month period alone. They further found that 1,145 unique titles were banned.
“Book banning should not be happening. So when will we stop? It's harmful to everyone," said Lew.
Readers are constantly challenging certain aspects of a book, such as obscenity, violence, heresy, and many more. The process of protesting for a book’s removal from a bookstore, library, or school curriculum are often wrongly argued.
Book banning is a serious issue that is rapidly rising in numbers all over America. But why is it happening? Why are classics like The Great Gatsby, To Kill a Mockingbird, and even The Wizard of Oz being withdrawn from access? Many believe reading is fundamental and that taking away books limits their freedom.
“Book banning prevents free speech,” said Sarah Lew, a librarian from Brooklyn Public Library. “People should be allowed to read what they choose. I became a librarian because of my passion for books, so not being able to share the love of books is heartbreaking for me.”
Censorship is defined as the suppression of parts of speech, communication, and media that are considered unacceptable to society. That is essentially what book banning is. People are challenging books with the aim to censor ideas and prohibit information. Sometimes, the censorship of books is made with good intentions, but that does not mean that everyone agrees and that the outcome is always right.
Various parents feel the need to safeguard their childrens’ minds, and as a result, take action against descriptions of profanity, war, or sex– topics that are deemed too much for young, still developing minds to handle. Most of the time, banned books depict relatable subjects that spark the reader's curiosity, or provide intricate plotlines and themes that allow their adolescent audience to explore diverse struggles. There is more to a book than swear words, and it is up to individuals to decide whether they want to approach difficult topics instead of parents, school board members, or librarians.
“Children should have free will in what they read, and teachers should have freedom in what they teach,” said Lew. “Especially books that talk about issues that should be discussed. Things like racism and the stigma around the LGBTQ+ community need to be addressed.”
In fact, a lot of the books being censored incorporate racist or LGBTQ+ themes in some way. For example, Toni Morrison’s novels tackle racism and sexual or gender identities, but they are repeatedly targeted because the dark moments in history and society that are written about are uncomfortable to certain audiences. The Bluest Eye and Beloved are some of her most challenged bestsellers.
Certain books may be banned for specific reasons, yet those reasons may be what readers find the most interesting. Like the novel, The Red Badge of Courage, written by Stephen Crane. The book has been banned for its graphic representation of war, while the realistic representation of human impact as a result of war is frequently what attracts readers.
Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry, by Mildred D. Taylor, is the tale of an African American family dealing with racism in Mississippi during the 1930s. The novel is repeatedly challenged for racial slurs and harsh illustrations of racial discrimination. The Outsiders, by S. E. Hinton, has been banned in numerous places for its portrayal of gang violence, drug and alcohol abuse, and family dysfunction, even though the book provides an honest, authentic voice to create a more understandable experience that appeals to teenagers and adults alike. Even the Captain Underpants series is on the American Library Association’s list of the top 100 most banned and challenged books from the past decade, mostly due to complaints from parents about violent imagery.
PEN America, a free speech advocacy organization, discovered that between July 2021 and March 2022, books had been banned in 2,899 schools across the country over the nine-month period alone. They further found that 1,145 unique titles were banned.
“Book banning should not be happening. So when will we stop? It's harmful to everyone," said Lew.
Camilla Lee is participant of the First to the Frontpage Summer of 2022 program.