In my AP Language and Composition class, we’re currently reading Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates. Students in South Carolina can’t say the same. In Lexington-Richland School District Five, teacher Mary Wood planned to teach the book, as she had no problems teaching it the previous year. However, for the 2023-2024 school year, she was told by the district she couldn’t teach the book as it was a “heavy topic” and “genuinely talking about race could be too much for some students.” To be blunt, this makes no sense to me. I like this book so far and think that the topics it brings up should be discussed by students. Books taught in schools should not be restricted because of their content. Furthermore, no book should be banned by state governments or school boards.
If a book is banned, there’s a reason, no matter how senseless or shortsighted it is. These reasons are often repeated; the reasons a book was banned ten years ago could very well be the same reason it is banned today. I’ve compiled a list of some of the most common reasons books are banned and included some books that fall under these categories. Many of these so-called reasons for banning a book are not actually valid.
- Sexual references
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison is one book that was banned because it depicts child sexual abuse and is considered sexually explicit. Many parents don’t want their children to read books that contain sexual references or explicit sexual content. This is understandable, and I agree that parents should have a say in what their children are reading. However, that doesn’t mean it is acceptable for a parent to write a report to a school or government saying that all children should be banned from reading a certain book. That should be up to individual families, rather than the government.
- LGBTQIA+ content, specifically people who identify as transgender
In 2022 and 2023, one of the most challenged and banned books was Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe. This book explores sexual orientation and gender identity, specifically for teens and young adults. Some people believe that it’s not right to identify as LGBTQIA+ and some parents don’t want their children to read about it because they’re afraid their child might be “turned gay.” I believe this is a clearly misinformed opinion, but besides that, one person’s opinion shouldn’t determine whether everyone else is allowed to read books including that topic. No one should be treated differently based on their identity or whom they choose to love. When books that promote LGBTQIA+ content are banned, the content can send a harmful message to members of the community, implying they aren’t valid.
- Violence & negativity
Books that include violence are often banned or censored; some books have also been deemed too negative or depressing and have been banned as well. A book that was challenged because it was “too dreary and negative” was Shel Silverstein’s poetry book A Light in the Attic. The reason this book was banned is astounding—it’s a children’s book; it’s a poetry book. I’ve read the poems, and some of them are very funny—I definitely laughed out loud. Why is a children’s book, full of funny poems (some might be a little bit dark, but the intent is humorous) banned?
- Racial issues
One book widely read during high school is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. This book discusses racial issues in a community in Alabama. It has been banned and challenged for racial slurs (said they affect students negatively), the portrayal of a “white savior” in the character Atticus Finch, and some have said it wrongly portrays the “Black experience in America.” People will interpret the book differently, but that doesn’t mean it should be banned based on one person’s viewpoint.
- Goes against certain religious viewpoints
Both the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling and Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson have been banned because of the “presence of witchcraft.” Witchcraft has been said to be the presence of Satan and therefore goes against certain religious teachings. However, just because you read about witchcraft doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to practice it (I mean maybe everyone who reads about witchcraft is going to become an evil witch and go on a murder spree—I don’t know what everyone does—but I highly doubt that’s the case in most situations). Witchcraft is just one topic that relates to religious viewpoints, but in overly religious communities, books are often banned for other reasons as well.
There has been a dramatic increase in attempts to challenge and ban books over the past few years. According to PEN America, there were 3,362 books banned in the 2022-2023 school year, compared to 2,532 in the 2021-2022 school year, about a 25% increase. Many of these books are then removed from school and classroom libraries, and students are prohibited from reading them.
Every one of these books was written for a reason, and someone put a lot of work into writing and then publishing a book. No one should have their writing censored by the government and their book banned from being read, especially something they put most of their life’s work into. It should be up to you whether or not you read a book, not someone else.
People need to read books that include content that’s hard to talk about because none of the issues disappear. When you’re an adult, it’s not like you’re suddenly going to have to not deal with violence or sexual assault—if anything, it gets worse. Children need to be educated, and books can be the main way to do that. If you aren’t learning about the dangers of racism, for example, you may not know when you’re doing something offensive.
Some of the best books I’ve read have been banned in various states, including many in Florida. Maybe when I write a book, if book bans haven’t been eliminated by then, I should aspire to have it banned in Florida—that will mean I’ve written a good book.