The Importance Of Censorship In Schools

Banning or challenging books is an occurrence that has been taking place for years in America’s school systems, but often parents and teachers are not in agreement concerning censorship. The National Council of Teachers of English position statement is “We can safely make two statements about censorship: first, any work is potentially open to attack by someone, somewhere, sometime, for some reason; second, censorship is often arbitrary and irrational.” One such challenged book is Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, which was “banned from an eighth-grade classroom in Arizona due to profanity, sexual content, and rape theme” (Lesesne and Chance 48). Even though it presents difficult topics, Speak could be a benefit to students in a

In an attempt to “protect” children, schools tend to target certain topics in literature. Some commonly banned subjects include LGBTQ, racism, sexism, and evolution. Due to book bans, the ability to teach and discuss material is affected. In a study, over 58% of teachers report negative impacts on their classrooms and curricula as book bans are implemented (FirstBook). By not allowing sensitive topics to be read and discussed, there is a spread of whitewashed history and misinformation.

According to “Freedom of Speech” by Gerald Leinwand, Abraham Lincoln once asked, “Must a government, of necessity, be too strong for the liberties of its people, or too weak to maintain its own existence (7)?” This question is particularly appropriate when considering what is perhaps the most sacred of all our Constitutionally guaranteed rights, freedom of expression. Lincoln knew well the potential dangers of expression, having steered the Union through the bitterly divisive Civil War, but he held the Constitution dear enough to protect its promises whenever possible (8).

School boards and teachers have a responsibility for protecting the minds of their students and covering age appropriate material. However, does this responsibility cover the extreme act of banning books from school classrooms? Does not the teacher have a duty to introduce to their students world issues in order to better the students ability to cope with problems in the world? How does a school decide which books should be banned from the classroom, and should it be left up to the teacher to decide what is decided in his/her classroom. By banning books from the classroom, we prevent our students from learning about controversial topics in a safe environment, and we also encroach upon the student’s freedom of reading what they want in

Is it necessary for schools to ban books just because some parents don’t like what their child is reading in English class? The topic of banned books has generated a lot of argument for both the viewpoint of schools not banning books because of the harmful content, and the opposing viewpoint of schools banning books because they have harmful or offensive content. The viewpoint of not banning books in schools because of the content is stronger, because banning some books that might have some hurtful content in them, the ability to learn a valuable lesson. Banning books also takes away children’s freedom of reading what they want. While there are many other main ideas to support the viewpoint of not banning books in schools, by banning the books that have potentially hurtful content, the chance to learn important lessons is lost. This is the reason found to be the most effective.

School boards, principals, and teachers have a responsibility for protecting the minds of their students by covering grade and age appropriate material in the classroom. However, does this given responsibility cover the act of banning books from their classrooms? As an advocate for each student, does the teacher not have a duty to introduce the students to a these words issues in order to help the student cope with the different problems in the world? How does a school decide which books should be banned and how much say does the teacher have what should be left up to the teacher? Some say that banning books from the classroom, we prevent them from learning about different controversial topics in a safe and secure environment. In this paper I reflect on my research question: Why do schools ban books in the classroom?

Every day well meaning parents, concerned members of society, and Christian activist groups across the country fight to censor the literature that is being taught in high school classrooms. The word censorship carries all types of implications and angles; it involve s a denial of an author's right to guaranteed freedoms of expression. However, as it relates to education, this issue goes a great deal deeper than the standard First Amendment argument. In attempting to ban certain types of literature from the classroom, censors are taking away the rights of teachers to prepare students for a reality that their parents do not seem to think will ever affect them. They likewise deny students the

For example, students and colleagues are able to learn the principles of manners such as kindness and politeness through the characters they’re reading about. They are also able to learn about political views, historical events, world religions, LGBTQ community, racism, and sexism. This is fundamental in order to accept the people around the world, and to be prepared for what comes next. According to time.com many parents believe that they are educating their students to make the right choices by censoring books, but instead they are denying them the access to the materials they need. Books give the ability to expand the mindset of any person so that they are prepared and educated for the

In this time of political correctness, all librarians and educators must have a clear and concise understanding of the meaning of both censorship and selection. No one wants to ban or restrict a student from learning through quality literature, but who is to say that a book is of high quality or if it age appropriate for most students. By knowing how each of the process work, passing non bias judgement may be achieved and students will be able to benefit from both censorship and selection.

There has recently been a renewed interest and passion in the issue of censorship. In the realm of the censorship of books in schools alone, several hundred cases have surfaced each year for nearly the past decade. Controversies over which books to include in the high school English curriculum present a clash of values between teachers, school systems, and parents over what is appropriate for and meaningful to students. It is important to strike a balance between English that is meaningful to students by relating to their lives and representing diversity and satisfying worries about the appropriateness of what is read. This burden often falls on teachers. The purpose of this research paper is to discuss

Claim: Public media centers such as libraries act as knowledge outlets to the general public. These media outlets already deal with censorship, and adding more censorship would be harmful to today's education process. By limiting our access to different subjects as well as different viewpoints, there would be a major hindrance on the need to gain knowledge. Many people actively utilize their local media centers, moreover, if censorship was abundant within these facilities, many people would be starved of the knowledge they are seeking for. While the media centers would continue to supply information, there would be insufficient access to needed materials thus leaving an inadvertent negative impact on education. The implemented censorship would directly effect not only our generation, but future generations as well. While the change may not be visible at first, the lack of knowledge on aimless topics will become very evident.

The high school generation right now could be the most aware group of adolescents to face the future. Many come across the same challenges adults do; while handling it being so young - which does not mean being treated like kindergartners is what to do. Censoring books in high school is taking away from a clear outlook on reality. At Hebron, the book The Kite Runner is being challenged for removal because of the seen to be “inappropriate content”. The banning of books should not be allowed at Hebron or any high schools. While all these challenger’s simply want is purity in teen’s eyes, it’s wrecking the author's real ideas and giving no opportunity to think for ourselves. These stories provide strong education and eye-openings on the real world

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.

Monkey see, monkey do, a simple phrase relevant to today’s society. Those in society that simply do not know any better, such as children, are inclined to imitate what they see being done. Without censorship daily television shows are increasingly exhibiting more violence, foul language and sexuality to susceptible youth. Due to lack of censorship, explicit music lyrics and inappropriate images on music videos are being introduced to impressionable children. There is a lack of control on the internet leading to internet addiction and forces vulnerable adolescents to face cyber bullying. In a variety of mediums not enough censorship is used, which influences impressionable youth to think and behave negatively.

Some people do not realize that they affect the education of their children by banning certain books. The banning of books is banning the author's right to free speech which can hinder the education of Americans. In schools teachers have to worry about what readings they present to their students because they could have any parent coming after them for exposing their children to “heinous” or “bad” things when all it truly is, is literature used to broaden