Should literary works be censored in the school systems and in public libraries?
Imagine the great literary works of J.D. Salinger, Mark Twain and J.K. Rowling being banned at your town’s elementary, middle, high school and public library. This day in age it should be impossible to censor great works of literature seeing as the first amendment guarantees “freedom of speech and of expression in print media”; however, this is a common issue that Americans face today (Straubhaar, LaRose & Davenport, 2013, p.89). “Books, magazines, and digital publications” are being censored due to what librarians and parents feel are inappropriate themes, topics, language and other nuances (Straubhaar, LaRose & Davenport, 2013, p.89). In Media Now, it is stated that librarians are attempting to protect children, as well as others from what is considered to be inappropriate literature (Straubhaar, LaRose & Davenport, 2013, p. 89).
Literacy has grown
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The “urge to censor” comes from a “hostility” towards groups that may challenge regular social norms (Schools and Censorship: Banned Books, 2014). For example, The Great Gatsby was censored at a college in the south due to mentions of sex and inappropriate language (Banned Books That Shaped America). The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was banned due to racist undertones. While these are valid points for possibly wanting your children or fellow peers to not read these novels, what people don’t seem to understand is that as Americans we deserve the fundamental right to read whatever we would like and should be allowed to by