11/8/14

Why We Should Not Ban Books

The American Library Association once said, "Throughout history, more and different kinds of
people and groups of all persuasions that you might first suppose, and for all sorts of reasons, have
attempted- and continue to attempt- to suppress anything that conflicts with or anyone who disagrees with
their own beliefs." The suppression of materials, otherwise known as censorship, is the act of examining
and controlling information and ideas that the general public can access. And while governments keep
very serious secrets, it is for security reasons and does not count as censoring. But banning books is an act
of suppression, and the Evergreen School District should not ban books because they can reveal new
perspectives on life, build a valuable background of knowledge, and provide a vehicle for parents to
discuss uncomfortable subjects with teens.
First of all, books can reveal new perspectives on life, such as viewpoints on topics that the
community might not think is appropriate. Very frequently, books are banned because they do not agree
with the perspectives expressed in the books. Also, books can teach us to make our own decisions on
which side to stand on issues. According to reports on banned books, Harry Potter, by J.K. Rowling,
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, and Anastasia Krupnik by Lois Lowry all have
themes of not following directions and rebellion in it; however, the Harry Potter books and other similar
books can teach us to be independent and survive in a world without others to help them. We can also
choose which side of the issue we stand on if we can learn more about the problem.
Additionally, books can help us to build a rich background of knowledge. The First
Amendment states that it is a violation of the law to infringe on the freedom of religion, the freedom of
the press, and the freedom of speech. Indeed, the more diverse reading materials we come in contact with,
the more knowledge we will acquire. Students can thus become well-rounded, and become
knowledgeable in multiple subjects. Besides, even if we do occasionally come across content unfit for

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young people, we are not little kids anymore and will most likely encounter them later in life. An example
of a book banned because of its scary illustrations is, Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak.
But as mentioned before, an encounter with them is imminent. Parents cannot shield adolescents forever.
Eventually, the youth will need experience the world for themselves. Another cause for censoring books
is violence. Studies show that because of complaints about violence in books, historical fiction books are
vulnerable as victims of censorship. War, as violence is expressed in many instances, is a part of human
nature. We will always have conflicts, as it natural for human beings to argue and disagree with each
other. The day there are no conflicts is the day that this world can become a utopian society. Additionally,
we can become wiser on subjects that have not yet been taught to us, or improve on the ones we already
learned. The point is, even if some of the issues revealed in books are immoral, they do exist, and we
should try to make peace with the situation instead of running away from the problem. This will not solve
anything, and will only seek to create more complications.
Furthermore, some books can act as a platform for teens to learn and discuss awkward
topics with their parents. Oftentimes parents are uneasy when discussing topics like inappropriate images
and profanity with their teens. On the contrary, if parents let us read first, then it can help them teach us
how and why it is wrong to use foul language and look at inappropriate illustrations. For instance, And
Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson, a book about gay penguins, was banned
because some individuals did not want students to read about such topics. According to studies, books
have been banned mainly due to inappropriate content and offensive language. Books like To Kill a
Mockingbird by Harper Lee and Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger both have inappropriate language
in them. Although some say that the content contained in the text may be improper for readers; however,
the situation is not really that bad. When teens read about this, they can talk with trusted adults and learn
to avoid using profanity instead of using them later in life.
In conclusion, the Evergreen School District should not ban books. All the benefits that go with
them, such as learning new ways to view things in life, enhancing our expertise in various fields of study,

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and acting as a bridge between parents and teens for controversial topics, will vanish if books are banned.
On the other hand, if books are allowed to remain in schools, students can start reading and taking the
required AR tests on them. A lot of us students love to read books, and really enjoy the magical and
special realms that words in a book conjure up. After we finished the book, we also got to quiz ourselves
on whether we understood the book correctly through AR tests. This helps to improve our reading
comprehension, and also provides opportunities to enhance our capabilities. Would you not feel honored
if you could help students to become more proficient and accomplished instead of letting them degenerate
into lesser people?