Should Parents be Able to Ban Books in Schools?
Banning books is the most widespread form of censorship in the United States. While this might seem like an extreme statement, it is true, and childrens books are the primary target of this (Bayron). Banning books is censorship because most banned books deal with issues of race, sexuality, or identity. These topics should be discussed in schools so we don’t limit students' awareness. Tough topics are banned but shouldn't be, they are necessary to talk about because they destigmatize these issues and make people struggling feel more comfortable and accepted. If everyone could ban books we wouldn't have any left to be in schools.
The targeting of banned books is prominent. 41% of banned books deal with LGBTQ+ themes, 40% have prominent characters of color, and 21% deal with issues of racism (Bayron). These books are important for students to understand themselves and their peers. Learning about these topics is beneficial for students. Understanding the struggles of others can help students in the world. Books such as To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, were banned for their discussion of race and racism. However, this book is a window into the time and is read in some schools. It should not be banned because it is a part of history that
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There is a long history of banning books. Book bans before the 1970s were usually for sexual content but recently they have been banned for many other reasons. These books pose no harm to schools, even books that discuss such topics as Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, have been banned. If everyone could ban what they find offensive we wouldn't have any books to read. The people advocating for book bans all have the common goal of advocating for controlling what books are accessible. Each person should get to choose what to read, it should not be up to others to make that decision for them. The more we limit the less we