“Something will be offensive to someone in every book, so you've got to fight it.”
-Judy Blume, Author
More and more books are banned across the world every day, disappearing from school and public libraries’ shelves. People ban books for many different reasons, fighting tooth and nail that the piece of literature is inappropriate for people to read. Banned book week 2016 is September 25-October 1, making people aware of the epidemic.
One of the most recent victims of challenged and banned books was The Fault in Our Stars. On September 30, 2015 the John Green novel joined the small pile of his books already banned- including Looking for Alaska, Paper Towns, and Let it Snow. Riverside High School in California banned the book and the others wrote by Green because of profanity and sexual innuendos- nothing uncommon to find in a book by the famous author. The story has been permanently banned, donated copies not accepted within the school.
John Green is only one author among many who have faced challenges when people try to question the ‘appropriateness’ of their books. Censored and banned books can be anything from classics to children’s books: Take for example children’s story Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak, banned because of the “dark and disturbing nature of the story” and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, banned because of “racist work that supports white supremacy.” Both stories are read across the world- one by parents to their children and the other in schools for class.
West Perry is no stranger to the idea of banned books. English classes read the novel Fahrenheit 451, educating students on what’s been happening for years. Books from as early as the 1800’s- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, for example- have been found guilty of trying to ‘corrupt’ the minds of readers. Hitler took books out to the streets to be burned and even now people are taking them off shelves, all hindering others’ abilities to read them. In an interview with the High School’s former librarian, Mr. Long, he sat down to share his opinions on the controversial idea. Mr. Long has been teaching since 1978, working thirty years as an English teacher and the following six as librarian. When asked on his opinion of the idea of banning books, he said, “It’s a bad thing. I could first just say that it goes against the first amendment (freedom of speech and press). It stops the free exchange of ideas that comes from books. People who ban books are simply frightened by what’s in them.” He encourages students to read the banned/censored books in the library and to not put labels on them- they’re all just books. In the library, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, (banned for drug-use, sexual acts/language), Hunger Games (banned for violence, language, and ‘satanic’ acts), and Harry Potter (banned for witch-craft and going against religion) are among the books that have been banned and are available in the school library. Mr. Long, along with English teacher Mr. Grippin, are a part of the Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of English and Language Arts- a state’s English teacher’s association. PCTELA supports teachers and organizations when books are being challenged and questioned.
From The Lorax to The Great Gatsby- from school districts to state restrictions, books are banned everywhere. Books are all books, and everyone has different opinions on whether or not certain topics and ideas should be allowed in stories.
“Don’t join the book burners… don’t be afraid to go into your library and read every book.”
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Judy Blume, Author
More and more books are banned across the world every day, disappearing from school and public libraries’ shelves. People ban books for many different reasons, fighting tooth and nail that the piece of literature is inappropriate for people to read. Banned book week 2016 is September 25-October 1, making people aware of the epidemic.
One of the most recent victims of challenged and banned books was The Fault in Our Stars. On September 30, 2015 the John Green novel joined the small pile of his books already banned- including Looking for Alaska, Paper Towns, and Let it Snow. Riverside High School in California banned the book and the others wrote by Green because of profanity and sexual innuendos- nothing uncommon to find in a book by the famous author. The story has been permanently banned, donated copies not accepted within the school.
John Green is only one author among many who have faced challenges when people try to question the ‘appropriateness’ of their books. Censored and banned books can be anything from classics to children’s books: Take for example children’s story Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak, banned because of the “dark and disturbing nature of the story” and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, banned because of “racist work that supports white supremacy.” Both stories are read across the world- one by parents to their children and the other in schools for class.
West Perry is no stranger to the idea of banned books. English classes read the novel Fahrenheit 451, educating students on what’s been happening for years. Books from as early as the 1800’s- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, for example- have been found guilty of trying to ‘corrupt’ the minds of readers. Hitler took books out to the streets to be burned and even now people are taking them off shelves, all hindering others’ abilities to read them. In an interview with the High School’s former librarian, Mr. Long, he sat down to share his opinions on the controversial idea. Mr. Long has been teaching since 1978, working thirty years as an English teacher and the following six as librarian. When asked on his opinion of the idea of banning books, he said, “It’s a bad thing. I could first just say that it goes against the first amendment (freedom of speech and press). It stops the free exchange of ideas that comes from books. People who ban books are simply frightened by what’s in them.” He encourages students to read the banned/censored books in the library and to not put labels on them- they’re all just books. In the library, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, (banned for drug-use, sexual acts/language), Hunger Games (banned for violence, language, and ‘satanic’ acts), and Harry Potter (banned for witch-craft and going against religion) are among the books that have been banned and are available in the school library. Mr. Long, along with English teacher Mr. Grippin, are a part of the Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of English and Language Arts- a state’s English teacher’s association. PCTELA supports teachers and organizations when books are being challenged and questioned.
From The Lorax to The Great Gatsby- from school districts to state restrictions, books are banned everywhere. Books are all books, and everyone has different opinions on whether or not certain topics and ideas should be allowed in stories.
“Don’t join the book burners… don’t be afraid to go into your library and read every book.”
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
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