Book Banning: The Problem of Over Censorship

The idea of taking away a rightful piece of important and cultural literature is offensively immoral.
Many classics such as, but not limited to: 1984 by George Orwell, The Great Gatsby by F.S Fitzgerald, and To Kill a MockingBird by Harper Lee have been either challenged or banned in schools throughout America.
Losing these books is comparable to losing artistic liberties that past generations have had the privilege to read and experience.
If these bans pass then many students will miss out on classic literature, and life lessons held within these works of expression.
For example The Great Gatsby is facing bans because the contents include inappropriate “language, sexual references,” according to Southwesterncc.
Teachers still enjoy teaching about these books, and it has been a part of the curriculum for a long time.
“I don’t think books should be banned” but “families have the right to decide if [students] read something,” Nicole Calandra Sunnyslope English Teacher
Many would agree that “life is mature content, they get it all in real life [anyway],” Calandra said.
Another example is Animal Farm by George Orwell, which is persecuted due to political theories contained in the book.
Numerous books once deemed ‘classics’ are on the chopping block.
There are over 100 classics that are getting banned according to Goodreads.
“A book ban is the removal of a title from a library because someone considers it harmful or dangerous,” according to American Library Association President Emily Drabinski.
If this occurs students continue to lose their right to education in many forms.
Banning these books is a blatant contradiction to the freedom of speech that is idolized in American culture.
“Since 2021, a movement to ban books has put students’ freedom to read in jeopardy, advancing extreme conservative viewpoints about what is appropriate and allowable in schools” PEN America wrote.
Over the past few decades there have been “1,269 efforts to censor books,” according to Elaine McArdle of Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Book banning is not consistent throughout the country either, as the bans vary from state to state.
Florida and Iowa have the highest number of book bans according to PEN America.
There have been many school districts to ban books or limit the number of available books.
Those in favor of book bans often deem the contents of the book ‘unfit’ for a high school audience, citing that, “Sexually explicit material or offensive language” make a book “unsuited for any age group,” according to the American Library Association (ALA).
This means many books considered to be staples of high school English will be barred from being taught in school.
A large portion of the books that may have been ‘necessities’ over a decade ago have either been challenged or banned.
This takes away from children’s education because a lot of these books provide valuable insight into complex topics, such as greed, capitalism, social structure, or censorship.
Other books, such as The Great Gatsby, challenge capitalism and the greed it can invoke.
Restrictions on book bans are far and few between.
Just this past January, the Department of Education has dismissed multiple complaints of book banning and “will no longer employ a coordinator to investigate instances of unlawful book removals,” according to ABC News.
There have been numerous court cases due to these banned books and people wanting to get certain books banned throughout the United States.
You can find many of these cases
The federal government of the United States, supposedly a beacon of freedom, is turning a blind eye to a clear restriction on free speech.
There is a lack of reporting and news stories about the book when it is going to disappear.
“Many book challenges are not publicly reported or covered by the press,” according to the ALA.
If the book is such an issue why is it not being reported on?
Even if a book may be ‘unsuitable’ for some, there are other ways to fix this issue than a broad book ban.
When taking away books it is taking away the right to read, write, and express yourself through these books.
As a violation of the first amendment, no government should not be allowed to censor books due to language and political views.
There is national banned book week that takes place once a year, this helps bring awareness to the unjustly banning of books.
Participating in the week will help spread the idea that banning books is unlawful.
Going to meetings where books are being challenged and speaking your mind on why they should not become banned is another way to help.