Opinion Graphic
There are no banned books in Wake County Public Schools, and thanks to a new policy, it is likely to remain that way.
The new policy, which will be voted on by the school board in early February, will ensure that any books only be removed “for legitimate educational reasons and subject to the limitations of the First Amendment.”
A public school system with no banned books is a rarity in America. Since the early 1990s, the American Library Association has kept track of the most banned and challenged books in America. The two main reasons behind books being banned are inappropriate language and sexual content. However, in recent years, book challenges have moved away from objections to content and more toward objections to ideology.
The most recent banned books list features “I Am Jazz,” an autobiography from a transgender teen and LGBTQ advocate, and “Nasreen’s Secret School,” a novel based on one girls struggle to obtain an education in war-torn Afghanistan. Other frequently challenged books include literary classics and fan favorites like “Of Mice and Men,” the Harry Potter series, and “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
However, there are major problems with banning books.
Banning books can lead to increased polarization in America. In an already difficult time, banning books ensures that children are not adequately exposed to diverse viewpoints and different ideologies. Those children can grow up to be intolerant adults. Simply reading about a different religion, country or viewpoint is not a threat to American society or our most common held ideologies. In fact, many adults, college students included, would likely learn something from challenging themselves to explore literature that pushes their boundaries.
Banning books also allows history to be depicted through a rose-colored lens. Yes, some of the actions and language in classic books, such as “The Color Purple,” may be difficult to read, but they speak to the societal challenges of their times. Sugarcoating the past will not help us move on and learn from prior mistakes.
Many of the banned or challenged books today deserve to be not only read, but also celebrated. As evidenced by the countless events aimed at educating people about the benefits of allowing challenging books to be read in the classroom, including NC State Libraries acknowledgment of National Banned Book Week, by bringing banned books to the stage, and UNC Chapel Hill’s, celebration of these books through original art inspired by commonly challenged books.
The decision of Wake County Public Schools to narrow the definition of what constitutes “challenging” is a win for the school system. The freedom of educators to explore diverse subjects in the classroom should be upheld, as well as the continued promotion of diverse ideologies and new ideas.