Censorship

The First Amendment clearly guarantees every citizen freedom of speech. This right extends to books and other mediums of expression and communication. Despite this, individuals and groups constantly challenge pieces of literature that they find inappropriate and attempt to get them banned or restricted from schools and school libraries. The presence of such topics as sex, violence, racism, homosexuality, abortion, drugs, suicide, the occult, religion, politics, and offensive language, can put a book at risk of being censored or removed from children's libraries. In my opinion, this is ridiculous. I do not think an institution has the right to deny individuals of the freedoms which are promised to us in our nation's constitution. Although I understand that all people have different beliefs, values, and moral standards and should not be forced to be subjected to material that is grossly offensive to them, it is not the school board's job to be the judge of which texts fall under that category. Parents should be responsible for monitoring their children's reading and deciding whether or not they feel a piece of literature is suitable for them.

Additionally, "The Joy of Children's Literature" makes a great argument in favor of exposing young people to the realities of the world in which we live, and details what role teachers can play in this educational process: "English teachers must be free to employ books, classic or contemporary, which do not lie to the young about the perilous but wondrous times we live in, books which talk of the fears, hopes, joys, and frustrations people experience, books about people not only as they are but as they can be. English teachers forced through the pressures of censorship to use only safe or antiseptic works are placed in the morally or intellectually untenable position of lying to their students about the nature and condition of mankind" (Johnson, 193). The bottom line is- we do not live in a perfect world and children should not be shielded from the topics which they will no doubt encounter in their future lives. Although I do not promote the incorporation of blatantly inappropriate books which contain unnecessary and purpose-less sex, violence, profanity etc., in a school's curriculum, I do support the idea of suggestive themes and topics being openly discussed in the class within moderation, in order to teach students about the world. It is the job of educators to ensure that students have access to books that will challenge their ideas and broaden their perspectives.