The Pros And Cons Of Banning Books In Schools

About 1,597 challenges and bans on books were issued in the year 2021 alone. This means that 1,597 books were not able to be read by thousands of people in different parts of the world, and 1,597 potentially life-changing stories have gone to waste. Banning, censoring, or challenging books is the act of removing books from the shelves because a certain individual or group opposes the ideas presented in those texts. Various books have been banned for a plethora of reasons, including profanity, being sexually explicit, mentions of LGBTQIA+, critical race theory, and even not having a happy ending. Although it has advantages, the act of banning books should not be allowed because it creates an invalid perception of reality for children, contradicts

Certain books are banned in school libraries for having explicit content; the result is that kids will only have the option to read books about happy, perfect, fairytale worlds. According to “16 Major Pros and Cons of Banning Books in Schools,” “When there is an action taken to ban books, then this behavior is a reflection of having a closed mind. It speaks to the idea that there is only one perspective that holds true in our world.” As shown, children will only be exposed to one side of the truth, leading them to believe that the world in which they live is perfect. If children are not exposed to content that prepares them for their future, then they are less likely to be able to understand and cope with these ideas in adulthood. Some may argue that children are not “mature” enough to handle topics discussed in books. However, children do have a sense of what they can and cannot handle. Exposure to certain ideas may benefit them in the future in case they have to deal with topics discussed in a particular book. It also depends on each child’s mentality; some children will take ideas more seriously, or maturely, than others. Therefore, book banning should not be promoted because children are surrounded by false ideas of their

Many stories, even though they may be vulgar, can teach students so much more than what they can learn in a classroom. Neil Gaiman, an author, said that by reading books, “You get to feel things, visit places and worlds you would never otherwise know. You learn that everyone else out there is a me, as well. You’re being someone else, and when you return to your own world, you’re going to be slightly changed.” Multiple banned books tell amazing stories. J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series at one point was banned. But children 25 years later are still absorbed in the tales of a boy at a wizarding school. Stories just like the Harry Potter series are banned, and this means countless life-changing lessons are wasted. Stories tell lessons about life, friendships, health, and more, and for many, reading a book can change them for the better. Children view different perspectives on life, and they can choose which side to believe. While people may agree with this idea, others believe that rather than teaching lessons, books can contaminate kids’ minds with offensive ideas. This is not necessarily true, because all stories teach some kind of lesson. The profanity and vulgarity in a text may be used to convey an important message. It is up to the reader himself or herself what they want to take away from a book. All in all, censorship of books should not be allowed because many