The Power of Censorship in an Educational Setting

When we hear the word "banned," we immediately associate it with like terms: forbidden , rejected , and perhaps censorship . The idea behind banning a book has been ingrained in civilization since the mass publication of books with the invention of the printing press. It is interesting to see similar patterns from 14th century Europe seep its way into our lives today, but as more and more books are offered as possible reading choices, the heavier the scrutiny school board members take to ensure anything that comes into the classroom is of utmost quality.  But what exactly determines if a book is "qualified?"  As an English major, reading has been my bread and butter for a good majority of my life. Since I picked up my first novel, I felt a deep connection with books. They were my solace, my insight into the world, and stable companions when I had no one else to turn to. (It sounds sadder than my situation actually was...) Anyways, when I started researching this top...

When I was in high school, some books I was assigned included great works by Shakespeare, Dickens, Shelley, etc. I loved reading and through my teacher's thorough analysis of each novel, my passion for the classics grew. It was a much better alternative to studying a historical textbook because by reading these so-called antiquated novels, I got a glimpse into the past from an artistic and personal perspective.          Scott, 2014 (bookriot.com) However, critics today point out aspects of these books that are not exactly "on par" with the standards upheld in most public schools today, however. It seems that the more schools seek to preserve these traditional works, the greater the opposition comes. From Polk County, Florida to Chicago, Illinois educational communities have taken legal actions against their schools prohibiting the sponsorship of contemporary works of literature.  For instance, in 2021, Polk County Public schools pulled 16 books from t...