Book Banning Research

In America book banning is a growing issue, but how big of an issue is it really? “Between 1874 and 1915, it is estimated 120 tons of printed works were confiscated” (Mullally). This is from one U.S. Post Office alone. These numbers raise the question, what is this doing to the education system, and its bias’s on subjects; “According to the Office for Intellectual Freedom, at least 46 of the Radcliffe Publishing Course Top 100 Novels of the 20th Century have been the target of ban attempts”(““About Banned & Challenged Books””). Statistics like that are some of many about the thousands of copies pulled from libraries annually due to book banning. Some books of course, are challenged more than others. “One of the top continually challenged books

Book banning is the act of officially or legally removing a book from the shelves and libraries. Then is challenging another word for banning? No, challenging a book is the initial step in the banning process. By challenging a book it brings into question, and evaluated. It is important to realize that all banned books were at one point challenged books; however, not all challenged books become banned. Who challenges these books? Lots of people challenge books “throughout history, more and different kinds of people and groups of all persuasions than you might first suppose, who, for all sorts of reasons, have attempted—and continue to attempt—to suppress anything that conflicts with or anyone who disagrees with their own beliefs” (““About Banned & Challenged Books””). Why does it matter if books are banned from schools? By banning books the school board is controlling how and/or what students think about a variety of subjects. As ruled in the Island Trees School District v. Pico Case, “’…students may not be regarded as closed-circuit recipients of only that which the State chooses to communicate’” (Mullally). School official “cannot suppress ‘expressions of feeling with which they do not wish to contend’” (Mullally). This means that the schools cannot remove a book simply because they disagree with something contained in it. Then how are books banned? They get banned on the principle that “’a school is not comparable to a public park where anyone can stand on a soapbox…’-Tinker v. Des Moines” (Mullally). Freedom of speech is recognized in the schoolhouse, however “’it is not quite as free inside educational institutions…’’’ (““About Banned & Challenged Books””). People cannot ban a book simply because they disagree with it. They can, however, challenge it. Books are often challenged because the content is sexually explicit, unsuited to the age group, promoting Satanism, etc. If it is alleged to be an issue with the teachings or learning base