The Power of Censorship in an Educational Setting

So far, we've looked at the problem of censoring books and the implications of challenging every single novel that crosses a school library. Not every book is "ban-able" but not every reader is ready for novels that pose questioning themes or controversial ideas.  Censorship, like charity, should begin at home; but unlike charity, it should end there. -Clare Booth Luce  The rise of LBTQ+ books in schools poses a major debate of whether or not certain books are appropriate for a classroom setting.  Lastly, we analyzed the effects of teachers implementing books in their curricula and how students can develop a genuine passion for reading as they choose books that pertain to their interests. Now, where do we go from here?  We can take a look at the horrific effects of banning literature as a means of suppression of free and open speech. Hitler attempted to, Putin does it today; but the fact that we are able to have these debates in 21st Century America proves that no ma...

  source: https://www.google.com “My wife’s a hobby horse!”  “Thou art as fat as butter.”  “Thou lump of foul deformity.” If the picture or the title of this post is any indication of who could've said those phrases, you guessed it: William Shakespeare. The bane of any student's English education and one of the most underrated rebels in literary history.  He was certainly not one to skimp on insults. (In fact, here is the site to see just how colorful his vocabulary was...) Maybe next time you're in an argument and somebody comes at you with a harsh slur, you can whip out one of these lines and put it to good use. It's what Bill would've wanted, after all. Just kidding. Let's leave Old English name-calling aside and focus on the real reason for bringing up my favorite irrelevant white dude. William Shakespeare, among many, many, many  other authors have been put on the chopping block in recent years on the grounds that their works are challenging for young...

I'm not going to lie: I am a firm advocate for teaching the classics in school. I am majoring in English, after all, and renowned authors like Jane Austen and Charles Dickens are my bread and butter. I won't nerd out with the complete genius that is Pride and Prejudice  or the beautiful heroism of Syndey Carton. But you get the point- without the classics, literature would look very different from what it is today (even though it looks quite transformed from Shakespeare's time). Unfortunately, many people my age don't agree that the classics are all that worthwhile. Shakespeare's a dead white dude. Dickens was a horrible role model. And even with Austen, some don't regard her as a legitimate advocate for women's rights because she always manages to create an unrealistically happy ending for her heroines. Not only do they disagree with the authors' personal lives, but they've started taking their frustration out on their works. There's been cries...

  Source:  30 essential LGBTQ+ books for YA readers (abebooks.com) Throughout these posts, we've focused on the different defensive positions of reading interests between parents and school boards, teachers and students, and even students against themselves. I would now like to investigate the relationship between banned books and the reason as to why. We have discussed the various themes that cause a book to be challenged, but one theme in particular sticks out that is creating waves in literary requirements and expectations. First, let's take a look at a study conducted by Gay Ivey and Karen Broaddus of James Madison University. They analyzed the reading patterns of middle schoolers in two distinct areas of America (one in the Northeast and the other in a rural setting in the south), in order to observe a diverse range of students. After surveying nearly 2,000 sixth graders, they came to 3 conclusions regarding students' reasons for reading: Books aren't geared toward...

“For the majority of young people, enthusiastic and habitual reading is the single most predictive personal habit for the ability to achieve desirable life outcomes” ( After School Literacy Brief ). Reading is not just a hobby or an academic requirement; reading elevates us to new heights, enabling even those who think they're unqualified to live fulfilling and productive lives. Being literate is one of the most sought-after skills in the workforce, not to mention the lifelong benefits having a mind well-versed in a variety of literary works. According to the U.S. Department of Education , persistent reading leads to the acquisition of important skills, higher grades, and better employment. In fact, over 60% of those claiming to be "Proficient Readers" (meaning those who read outside of school and often) have jobs in professional careers, such as management, business, or financial sectors (National Endowment for the Arts 16). Meanwhile, one out of every five U.S. worker...

Stacy Langton, a mother of six and parent representative of Fairfax County, VA, related her experience when justifying the removal of two books from the district's public schools. During an interview on Fox News , she posed the question, "Who puts the materials in our children's school libraries?"  She wanted to know how certain literary materials came to their schools, almost as if they snuck onto the shelves overnight. Other schools in neighboring counties held the same books, so to blame the librarians is a baseless argument. However, the whole affair does seem to reek of intervention... specifically by an innominate figure.  There was a general belief among parents who send their children to school that the schools have the best interests of their students in mind. All participating members-from the teachers to the board- had a role to provide an adequate education to those who would, in turn, apply their skills productively and meaningfully in their communities. ...

The two sides in the battle against censorship in schools has taken a drastic turn for the worst. From school committees seeking the "best interests" of students, it has morphed into a custody battle between parents and curriculum creators. And neither side is letting up. Based on historical court cases in defense of free speech, it is evident the use of censorship in schools has been an ongoing debate in this country.     In the U.S. District Court case  Right to Read Defense Committee v. School Committee of the City of Chelsea , a Massachusetts School Committee tried to ban an anthology of poems- Male and Female under 18 - due to one particularly "offensive" and "damaging" excerpt, "The City to a Young Girl." In response, the court ruled that, "The library is 'a mighty resource in the marketplace of ideas.' [...] The student who discovers the magic of the library is on the way to a life-long experience of self-education and enrichm...

"Books unite, censorship divides."  That's a very fitting mantra today as it was decades ago with the first controversial piece to hit bookstores. The American Library Association (ALA) is one organization that denounces such practices, advocating for intellectual and literary freedom when it comes to the expression and absorption of ideas. The Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) is a subgroup within the company who compiles lists of the top 10 Most Challenged Books , "In order to inform the public about censorship in libraries and schools." They base their findings on a book's media presence and collected data from volunteers throughout the U.S. That being said, their studies indicate that 82-97% of book challenges – formal, written requests to remove materials from schools or libraries – go unreported. I looked at each list and was surprised at the stark contrast between banned books in the early 2000s to today. Since the OIF wasn't established unti...