Banned Books Essay

Many conservative groups make the argument that the books that have been banned have material that is inappropriate, immoral or contradicting the beliefs they have ingrained in their children and/or their society. Book-banning cases usually concern the protection of children and their innocence, but all that is happening is sheltering parents trying to avoid an awkward confrontation with their child about uncomfortable matters. It is not only selfish, but also harmful to the overall education of their children. The touchy subjects of banned books contain issues that are part of everyday life, and for a group to attempt to censor this subject from younger society is almost absurd; these issues are not monstrous and the censorship of them not only shows prejudice but lack of respect. Others would say that it is the government’s duty to regulate these books. It is the exact

According to the American Library Association, the most common group of people, challenging a book being read in schools, was the parents of the students. Parents have a right to be in charge of what is put into the minds of their students, however just because one parent objects does not mean that the whole school should ban the book from the list. A solution for this book would be to enforce parental consent for books to be read in the classroom. If a parent does not want a book to be read in the classroom, then there should be other options for the student to read. The school and teacher should not trespass on a parent’s rights of raising their child. I believe that if a parent has a concern, they should go and discuss the problem with the teacher so that the teacher will be able to defend their reasoning for choosing the book to be read in the classroom.

There is a book out there that talks about a topic that you do not agree with. While you may find the book offensive, others may find it inspiring or a reflection of their life. These varying points of view are what often lead to people calling for a ban of a certain book in a school or public library. This brings to light a topic that impacts all of us in one way or another, censorship in the form of book bans. This leads to a topic that can be the center of debate for many, whether or not we should allow the censorship of books, or other forms of media, in our libraries. And by censoring books, we are referring to taking them off of the shelves. Of course, many people have strong opinions on this. Coincidentally, I also have an opinion. My opinion is that we should not censor books, while making you understand why the idea of censorship in our school and public libraries goes against the fundamental values and freedoms that we hold dearly as citizens of the United States.

Since 1982, there have been 11,300 books challenged in the United States. As the number of challenged books continues to rise, society’s exposure to diversity in literature decreases. According to the American Library Association, 51% of the top ten challenged books between 2005 and 2014 featured “diverse content.” Diverse content is defined as works featuring either non-white, LGBT+, or disabled primary characters, or discussions of issues in relation to race, religion, LGBT+ matters, mental illness and/or disabilities, among many other defining characteristics. Censoring such books has the potential to fundamentally stunt the personal growth of society, though many may feel certain information and topics must be censored for the safety of

Parents should have the right to decide what their child reads, but should not have the right to decide what is right for other children to read because not all parents have the same view on what is appropriate for their child to learn in school; as Jones stated, we must all respect each other’s differences. Educators should also be able to freely decide on what they feel is appropriate for their students to read. If a teacher chooses a book that has caused concerns in the past, they should alert the student’s parents of

In New on the Job: A School Library Media Specialist’s Guide to Success, Ruth Toor and Hilda Weisburg present a one-stop manual for first-year school library that details numerous aspects of what it means to be a successful school library media specialist. The authors, both of whom are veteran former school librarians, outline everything from the job interview to the last day of school, sharing years of wisdom and practical insight into the ins and outs of the profession. Special attention is paid to developing relationships between the various members of the school population and associated individuals, including students, teachers, administrators, school board members, parents, and volunteers. The authors remind school librarians to keep

In schools across the country and even around the world, books are being censored, challenged and outright banned. “Censorship takes place anytime a book is removed from its intended audience” (Books Are Being Banned in the United States) Many times, parents are the ones to push to have a book taken out of their child’s libraries. However, some books may fail to show up in libraries because media specialists opt to keep them off the shelves. There are many reasons that librarians choose to overlook books.

Issue: The authority to select or omit books in a library book list by the school board that are LGBT in nature and their rights to do so.

Today's society is and always has been a struggle for freedom. America fought in the revolutionary war against Great Britain to enhance the freedom of Americans. Censorships in libraries are an invasion of a citizen's rights. Throughout history there are an extreme amount of examples of the rights of Americans being invaded and abolished. The first amendment, moral agency, and religious beliefs are all the ultimate reasons that censorships in libraries should not be aloud or legal.

Oscar Wilde, an Irish novelist, wrote,“The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame.” I believe that local libraries and schools should have the right to ban or regulate disliked books. Three reasons why they should have that right are, to prevent young children from checking out inappropriate contented books, to keep kids in a comfortable and safe feeling environment at school, and some books have lots of violence One reason why libraries should have the right to regulate or ban disliked books is to prevent young children from checking out inappropriate books. Many books in the library are not considered appropriate for children due to the kind of language used and the violent, offensive, or unsuitable content.

Everyone had their own opinions and views that they follow or believe in. Censorship can be used to protect or enforce those opinions and views. Although, one persons beliefs might not agree with another person and could cause conflict. Censorship in libraries is important so that respect is shown to all its users. I believe materials promoting sexual content or drug/alcohol should be censored from libraries.

Early on, ALA made it a priority for libraries to provide a collection that would appeal to as many patrons as possible. It used the Library Bill of Rights to help accomplish this objective. Today, ALA is equally relevant as it continues to be the governing body of libraries. ALA continues to push for collections that provide books to the public that interest them. As a result, librarians became proficient in the area of collection development.

I understand how some people find some books found in libraries offensive. This is why some books have been removed from certain libraries including some from our own library. I believe these books being censored and take out of our library is not the way to go about it.

Who gets to decide what you can and can't say? Do? Or read? What gives someone the power to dictate what books a community can read? Censorship in libraries is simply un-needed and unfair to the society and public as a whole.

One of the new AASL Shared Foundations: Engage (2017) is that librarians “implement organizational policies and practices related to censorship, materials challenges, library records, and responsible use of information resources” (Shared Foundations Engage sect. para. 4). Subsequently, librarians demonstrate their leadership capabilities through implementing and disseminating information to their school on guidelines for students’ use of digital tools and library resources. Furthermore, librarians have a critical role in ensuring that their school is complying with the Children’s Internet Protection Act. Moreover, school librarians are also responsible for ensuring that all students have equitable access to diverse materials. Ultimately,