Banned Literature and the Right to Read

Literature is thought. It is creativity. It is an art form which piques curiosity, evokes thought and emotion, and sparks conversation. Literature is also under attack. Banning literature from school or library shelves is not a new concept. In fact The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was first banned just after it was written in 1885. The problem now is the world is a much different place than it was when Mark Twain wrote his famous novels. Adults and children alike are dealing with complex issues like drugs, homophobia, and an ever increasing economic gap in society. Adding salt to the wound of what the world has become, teachers are unable to provoke answers to such issues. Instead teachers are being told what needs to be taught in schools thus limiting the amount of freedom in the classroom to develop critical thinking students who could potentially become change agents. Instead students are force-fed facts and told to regurgitate them to prove that the school systems are working. After students wipe their mouths clean and grab hold of that high school diploma most are pushed out into a world where they face people of different backgrounds, different belief systems, or who may be suffering from depression or other mental illnesses. In the end the bubble of protection from all of society’s battles hurts the high school graduate who is unaware of the blinders placed on his or her face during the thirteen years of schooling they have just endured. The answer lies within literature. While Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, may not literally tell us how to overcome all areas of prejudice it does provide a vessel from which teachers can begin a meaningful analysis of what the word prejudice stands for. Students can recognize previously unconscious prejudice thoughts, and potentially become an activist for people like Boo Radley who are so often swept under the rug of society left to be ignored.

Why is it that people want books placed out of reach of children and young adults? The proposed answer here is religion and fear. Mainly found under the context of Christianity, such followers want to shield all facets of life that go beyond those of moral beliefs. A childhood classic A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein is number 51 on the American Library Associations list of top 100 frequently challenged books from 1990-2000 (“American Library Association” 2007). One poem entitled How Not to Have to Dry the Dishes claims to teach children to be disobedient. Others have argued that among the other pages in the book children are introduced to ideas of suicide, violence, drug use, and even cannibalism (“Wikipedia” 2007). Is there really a fear that children will read a poem within the pages of A Light in the Attic and unconsciously become a drug addict? Instead parents and teacher alike should take the opportunity to use Shel’s imaginative drawings and silly limericks as a pleasing introduction to the art of poetry and stop the What If game. With appropriate guidance, any topic introduced through literature can be discussed as a learning moment.

Other frequently challenged children’s books include the works of Roald Dahl a classic children’s author who promotes creativity, laughter, and imaginative thinking in his novels. James and the Giant Peach has also been challenged by people for moral reasons. Parents claim that the green worms given to James promote early drug use and of course magic which is why the popular Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling have received so much attention from church members (Howard 2006). The book was also banned from the schools in Sanford County Virginia because it encourages children to be disobedient and disrespectful to adults (Howard 2006). One must wonder if the parents who initially filed the complaint to the school district in Sanford County ever read the story to completion. Instead of focusing on the disobedience, perhaps a conversation could be struck up in regards to the maltreatment of James by his aunts. By ridding the school shelves of Dahl’s classic children’s novel the opportunity to speak with children about issues such as grief, friendship, and perseverance may never arise.

While parents live in fear of children’s novels, the majority of books banned within classrooms are at the high school level. Here, political-correctness plays a roll in the banning of literature. Take the previous example of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. This book as well as its counterpart, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, have both been the topic of controversy in schools due the use of racial slurs. Quite simply the word nigger is not a well tolerated word in today’s society. That word alone has frightened parents into neglecting their children the right to read a classic novel laced with important themes like friendship, freedom, and humanity. These novels are also a catalyst into a discussion of black history in the United States, for at the time both novels were written, nigger did not have the negative connotations associated with it as it does today.

It seems as though Christian conservatives have taken their ideals too far. It is to the disadvantage of America’s youth that such people are impeding the education of today’s children. It is out of ignorance and fear that these conservative beliefs want to pull any literature containing strong language or a confrontational topic from the shelves. It is beyond ignorant to believe that by being exposed to racist thoughts in John Steinbeck’s novel of Mice and Men a reader will become racist. Or perhaps the newest controversy; if you are a fan of Harry Potter’s head master, Dumbledore you will decide to be gay. Topics such as racism, sexism, violence, suicide, and many other controversial topics will confront youth head-on in their everyday lives. It is the job of a teacher to present such topics for discussion in an environment where critical thinking can be fostered without fear of persecution by family or friends. Students need to be taught to defend an opinion and speak out for what he or she feels passionate about, and above all students need to be presented with opinions and ideas that are different from their own. By shielding such thoughts schools are producing narrow-minded citizens who will only perpetuate the cycle of ignorance and are endorsing a message that wisdom gained through literature is null and void. Perhaps Judy Blume, whose literary work Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret appears on the 100 Most Frequently Challenged Book List of 1990-2000, best states the negative impact on society’s youth in saying “[I]t's not just the books under fire now that worry me. It is the books that will never be written. The books that will never be read. And all due to the fear of censorship. As always, young readers will be the real losers” (“American Library Association” 2007).

As an educator it is my responsibility to foster a love for learning and for literature. It is my belief that these two foundations of education are one in the same. It is my responsibility to present imaginative, historically accurate, creative, and poignant literature of all genres to students that with promote thought, evoke questions, and potentially change a perspective or two. Such literature should be approached with an open mind. Teachers need to foster open, honest discussions and help students understand the values and beliefs of different cultures and of different times.

There is no doubt that I will at some point face a parent who is against a piece of literature I choose to make available to my students. Thus, it is my responsibility to pre-assess any literature I wish to use. According to the organization Parents Against Bad Books in Schools (PABBIS) the justification they seek from teachers includes the educational goals and objectives achieved by a particular book. PABBIS also questions the relevancy to the state standards and requires that teachers justify why a text in question is necessary. While I recognize it may be a lot of extra work on the part of a teacher, the beneficial side to reading quality literature far surpasses the documentation needed to ward off a potentially fearful parent.
I must also recognize and respect a parent’s right to wish his or her child not to participate in any reading. While I may not agree I will present all evidence to affirm my opinions but in the end I will never force a student to read something that may be offensive to him or her, especially at the elementary level. This age is fragile and it is the job of a teacher to identify special circumstances among individual students. While I do believe Harry Potter is a well-written series worthy of reading, I do recognize that there are children who are easily scared or swayed into believing the unnatural. Therefore I would never suggest that such a child read J.K Rowling’s novels.

A second action I will take as a teacher is to celebrate Banned Books Week. Simple acts of displaying books around the room, putting up a poster, diving into a discussion with students, or even holding an informative parental meeting on some challenged books are just a few ways a classroom teacher can become involved. Being an activist for banned literature does come with backlash from parents and even public figures such as the Christian ministry called Focus on the Family, who sees Banned Book Week as an assault against those who “dare to speak out about questionable materials for children” (Simon, 1995). Teachers need to be knowledgeable about what they stand for and willing to support the right to read and in turn the right to be well educated.