Researching and then discussing banned books in class was a really insightful experience for me, and brought up topics that I had never really thought about before. Once I visited some of the banned book sites, I realized the mass number of books ripped from shelves in schools across the country and the world. Looking through the list, I came across many books that I read in school, and that I know are still being taught. When we discussed this in class, many others had the same realization, and we all wondered why specific books had been banned. We read them a turned out fine, so why should they be banned?
Well, one thing I realized is that some of the books that are banned are in specific areas of the country that may have different ideals than the majority of school districts. Or it could be a case of parents complaining, and schools complying automatically, without thinking of the repercussions of their actions. We also talked about some activist groups that exist, trying to convince families that books like Harry Potter and a classic such as The Catcher in the Rye will encourage youth and teens to do things that are "against the rules" or not the social norm. Why do they think that banning books will solve this, or even address the problem? The thing to do is NOT take these books away, but to embrace them and teach about the issues within the literature. If a book addresses an issue about teens using drugs, it should not be pushed under the rug. Instead, the teacher should create a space within the classroom to discuss the problems people have with the subject, and then talk about those issues. By bringing the topic to the surface, teachers are helping the students to fully understand what the book is saying, and to delve further into prose.
But of course, there are some stipulations to this and some books that have been banned may have been so for good reasoning. If a book is too graphic and inappropriate for the intended age group, then the banning has validity. Along with this, some books may be banned because someone reading it right off the shelf could cause problems. For books like these, a context needs to be put in place for who can read them and when. This is better for the reader because they will be able to understand the context of the book in a deeper way, as well as have the opportunity to discuss certain aspects of the text.
I hope that in the future, more people will think about these options before outright banning books. I have already spoken to friends and family members about certain books I found on the list, and they too were surprised. My sister works for a publishing company, and she promised to look into the laws and rules on banning books, and I am very interested to see what she will find.
