“A banned book is one that has been removed from the shelves of a library, bookstore, or classroom because of its controversial content...A book may be challenged or banned on political, religious, sexual, or social grounds” (Lombardi). According to Esther Lombardi, banned books are specific types of books that are not allowed to be read because they are considered dangerous or harmful in some way. Even though content such as depression, drugs, sexual activity, and violence in books is viewed as problematic or inappropriate, real life isn’t all fairy tales and unicorns. Life is hard, and there is bad in the world just like there is good in the world. Students should not be shielded from the bad of the real world. Instead, they should learn about those situations through books in the safety of schools. Crank is a book about a gifted junior in high school named Kristina Georgia Snow. Her parents are divorced, she lives in Reno with her mother, and for the first time in eight years she visits her father in New Mexico. However, this visit leads Kristina into many difficult life experiences. Students should be able to read Crank because it shows students how small decisions could impact people's lives, how drugs become a need, and how communication between a family is important. Firstly, teens should be allowed to read Crank because it shows how small choices can change someone's life . For example in the book, during Kristina's visit she meets a boy named Adam they
What is a banned book? A banned book is a book that has been removed from the shelves because of its content. There are many reasons a book can be banned, a few of those reasons are is it contains offensive language, promotion of a religious viewpoint, unsuited to an age group, and many more. Lots of people and organizations have and still attempt to ban books. Some organizations that have banned books are The Anti – Defamation league, The Christian Voters League, and The Central Intelligence Agency.
Over 11,300 books have been banned and/or challenged in the United States alone (Dankowski). Diverse groups of people choose to choose books for different reasons. The Outsiders displays some of these reasons, such as adult content, vulgar language, and encounters with the police. Nonetheless, different groups of people have chosen to petition against book banning, like The American Library Association. There are also reasons given for why books should not be banned; for example, good moral, future reference, and relaxing stories. Parents, educators, and others choose to ban books from libraries due to the controversial topics and material; however, others would like to argue that these same books have a good moral to follow, as well as beneficial
What is a banned book? A banned/challenged book is a book that has or is in the process of being removed from school libraries. Three reasons a book would be banned or challenged are profanity, sexually explicit content, and alcohol. There are others reasons a book could be banned, but those I listed are just examples. Also those are also reasons the book “Harris and me” is banned.
There are many great books nationwide, but some get banned or restricted on who can you read them. “Always Running: La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A.” happens to be one of the many books that get banned from many schools districts. A parent named ‘Martin Roger’ wants the book banned from San Diego County from the schools because it's “pornographic”. San Diego Superintendent understands where he’s coming from but the book “Always Running” is protected by the first amendment. The book is banned from elementary schools, because one parent opposes for their child not to read this particular book, doesn’t mean all the children in the district don’t have the right to read it.
The main argument for why certain books are banned in schools is because the students need to be protected from the content within the books. For example, 13 Reasons Why, a novel about a teenager who commits suicide and leaves behind thirteen tapes containing her reasons has been banned from schools such as the Colorado School District, and some Canadian schools. The book was deemed as “negative portrayals of helping professionals.” and according to Lora Strum writer of the article “Banning books like ’13 Reasons Why’ makes it harder for teens to open up to adults, the author says”, “the book glamorized suicide”. As a whole, the school districts either took
Books are like people, there is a wide variety and range of them, they can range from different types of vernacular to age appropriateness. Due to the wide range some books are eligible to be banned from a school district for any array of reasons. Books can be banned because of, profanity, societal issues or anything else that could possibly be thought of. The Secret Life of Bees should be taught in high school curriculum because it allows for readers to see how someone can overcome oppression of racism and various categories of abuse.
According to the American Library Association (ALA), young adult novels are challenged with the best intentions. In most cases a parent will read a book that their child might be reading in class to find out if the book is hazardous to their child’s well-being. If the novel seems problematic, the parent then challenges the book. Even though the purpose of challenging a novel is to keep children from reading about issues that may not be seen as appropriate for their age group, censoring children from difficult subject matter is not always the solution. There is always controversy when difficult issues arise in adolescent geared novels. Even though there are many concerns with Lois Lowry’s The Giver,
Banning a book is when a person or group takes away a book from the public or a majority group (Wilson, 844). Books taken from the public are mostly banned for its materials or controversial topics, however, a handful of novels were able to avoid being taken off shelves. A novel that was able to avoid this is Slaughterhouse-Five, the book is banned in schools around the United States and the reason for this is sexual situations, violent content, and strong language within the story, but a majority of schools currently allow it (Paulson, 07A). However, this novel shouldn’t be banned because people have freedom to read, content shouldn’t be filtered or controlled and any topic should be free to the public.
The controversial act of banning books in the public school system is hindering children from growing in their intellect and identity. “Schools and Censorship: Banned Books” is an article released by People For the American Way, which explains that American’s were given one basic right and it is one that must be fought for and maintained daily. This is the freedom to express as each individual sees fit. Because of concepts that challenge the level of what is “appropriate” for students, millions are being deprived of powerful works of expression which possess the power to shape students in who they are and who they can become.
Once upon a time, in a world not far from here, there are students who are forced to miss their annual train ride to Hogwarts, lock the wardrobe to the magical land of Narnia, and walk through the English countryside themselves instead of upon the back of Black Beauty. Why are these students deprived of those occurrences? They live in America, the land of the free- except when it comes to the books they can read. In fact, many schools across America exercise the practice of banning books. Since 1982, libraries, parents, and schools have attempted to ban 11,300 novels, according to the American Library Association. The essentially innoxious books are challenged for an assortment of reasons, including use of malapropos language, graphic or explicit
If a controversial book will be read in the classroom, it is the teacher’s responsibility to prepare the student for it. The teacher must ensure that the book is age-appropriate for the student, and is appropriate for the subject matter that the teacher is covering. Reading books such as Catcher in The Rye without discussion can be more harmful than helpful to a student. The Catcher in The Rye has obscene language, violence, occult practices, and sexual references (Doyle 2010). This book should only be read by a mature age group with a
Books have been challenged and banned from schools and libraries for countless years. “To Kill a Mockingbird”, “Catcher in the Rye” and “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” are two of the most challenged books of their time. Many parents and faculty member in schools and libraries see these books and others like them as “inappropriate” and “wrong.” (Doyle). Books have been banned throughout history for their takes on issues such as race, damaging lifestyles, Sexual content, violence, and even their political angles (“Banned Books: Reasons for Banning Books.”).
School boards, principals, and teachers have a responsibility for protecting the minds of their students by covering grade and age appropriate material in the classroom. However, does this given responsibility cover the act of banning books from their classrooms? As an advocate for each student, does the teacher not have a duty to introduce the students to a these words issues in order to help the student cope with the different problems in the world? How does a school decide which books should be banned and how much say does the teacher have what should be left up to the teacher? Some say that banning books from the classroom, we prevent them from learning about different controversial topics in a safe and secure environment. In this paper I reflect on my research question: Why do schools ban books in the classroom?
Some think that students need bold books so they can use the knowledge that they gain from them and interpret it into their own lives. Even though there might be some parts that are questionable in a book, students should be able read the material in a mature way and grow from their experiences. Although some believe that this is true, schools only ban books that contain too much vulgar material, but how much is too much? This question is up to the school board to decide, but the gist of it is: schools ban books that are inappropriate for students to read, and they don’t take away from their learning
Teens should be allowed to read whatever books they want . Being something that you aren't just makes things worse in people's life .Teens should be allowed to read the book Zig Zag because it teaches people to try things that they don't want to do , shows people who they actually are and , it teaches people to try their best without using violence . One reason why is because it teaches teens to try things that they don't want to . For example , “ Since chris is leaving , Robin agrees to join her aunt and cousins on a cross country road trip , in spite of her reservations . she and her younger cousins have never really gotten along , and since their father's death they've become even more problematic than before . ΅ “ soon the four of them are zig zagging through the West on an eye - opening journey . They explore parts of the country Robin never dreamed existed - and she discovers inner resources she never imagined she had ¨ ( wittlinger 90 ) . This shows that teens should be allowed to read this book because it is teaching them to do things that they don't want to do . Not all teens do things that they don't want to do but most teens have to do things that they don't want to do then they realize that was actually fun and it wasn't gonna be that much fun if they choose not to do it . Another reason why teens should be allowed to read this book is because it shows them who they actually are . For example, ΅ Robin can't believe it when her boyfriend , chris . tells