Banning Books: Threats to Education and Freedom of Speech

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Romeo and Juliet, Harry Potter, the Twilight series and even the Bible are some of the top challenged books (McCabe, 2016). The American Library Association list so many tries by too many individuals and organizations to take books from schools and public libraries (Sheppard, 2017). Banning books is by removing them from the shelves of a library ,while a challenge is an trying to remove or restrict those books, based upon the denial of someone (ALA, 2012).

Although some books might contain some unsuitable themes for children, banning books may affect their learning, freedom of speech and lessen public information.

In ancient times, they used to ruin books by burning them so that no one would ever be able to read them (Mullally, Gargano, 2017). Unfortunately, this battle of challenging and banning some books has a long history, continuing to the present times (Mullally, 2008). Banned Books Week is an event that happens annually to celebrate the freedom to read.

It was launched in 1982 because of a sudden rise in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries (BBW, n.

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d.). It’s usually held during the last week of September, it aims to prove the value of free and open access to information (BBW, n.d.). Since the American children’s literature industry has started in the 1820s, publishers have had to put in mind the question of who their audience are (Ringle, 2016). In the banned books week, students and teachers gathers out of the clases for the event to discuss these books.

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'In this particular moment, freedom of expression, and taking a stand to emphasize and protect that freedom, is vital. Education is about exchanging new ideas, discussing topics that might make us uncomfortable, and being open to others' views. Banning books is education's antithesis. I'm proud to see students take this issue to heart,' said Karen Weekes, associate professor, English and women's studies, Penn State Abington. Of course, not everyone thinks that banned books week is a good idea. Most remarkably, those organizations that often resist change challenge this event, debating the idea that overprotective parents who are concerned and protesting to prove that these books are inappropriate and need to be censored (Slocum, 2018).

So many of these books that were considered to be required reading have become educated about literature and American history are often challenged, for instance: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, The Color Purple by Alice Walker, Beloved by Toni Morrison, and Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (ALA, 2017). The actual best way to know any culture isn’t by learning the books they read, but the ones they deny.

You may have read a book every from time to time that you not only disliked, but also found against your beliefs. But would you ever try and challenge it so others will not reading it? (Zalusky, 2017). Books and plays are art and banning them tells more about a society and its dispositions than anything else (Jolley, 2013). The ALA’s top challenged books for any year do actually shows cultures fears at the time. They are also here to remind us that censorship still exists. The top first three banned books in 2017 were “13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher”, “The Absolutely True Diary of A Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie” and “Drama by Raina Telgemeier” in that order (ALA, 2017).

The American Library Association does not ban books. The ALA's Office of Intellectual Freedom (OIF) receives reports from groups and individuals on attempts to ban books in communities across the country (..., 2018). Unfortunately, Parents are the largest group to request a book removed these books from school or its reading requirements or even from a public library (ALA, 2017). Fortunately, not all the committed challenges that were risen by parents, schools, teachers or libraries have been actually banned in the end.

Citation

  1. McCabe, C. (2016, Nov. 23rd). MI University Explores the Impact of Banning Books on Millennials. Retrieved from http://cbldf.org/2016/11/mi-university-editorial-explores-the-impact-of-banning-books-on-millennials/
  2. Sheppard, A. (2017, Sep. 20th). What is a banned book? Retrieved from https://libguides.astate.edu/bannedbooks
  3. 'About Banned & Challenged Books', American Library Association, December 10, 2012. http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/aboutbannedbooks
  4. Mullally, C. & Gargano, A. (2017, Nov. 29th) Banned books. Retrieved from https://www.freedomforuminstitute.org/first-amendment-center/topics/freedom-of-speech-2/libraries-first-amendment-overview/banned-books/
Updated: Nov 30, 2023
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Banning Books: Threats to Education and Freedom of Speech. (2021, Dec 15). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/issue-of-banned-books-essay

Banning Books: Threats to Education and Freedom of Speech essay
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