The issue of banning books has been a highly debated topic since the 1800s. Librarians, schools, and parents frequently question whether some books are appropriate for young audiences. Publishers have a hard time identifying who their target audience is, the kids themselves or the Adult Gatekeepers. While some people think it is in the best interest of children to protect them from “inappropriate” books, others believe that banning books marginalizes children.
Paul Ringel discusses how banning books negatively affects the lives of children in his article, “How Banning Books Marginalizes Children.” The censorship of books, specifically books discussing diversity, has been rapidly increasing since 2008. Before the Civil War, debates over who the target audience of children’s books should be were rarely even discussed. When a book is claimed to be emotionally inappropriate, they are following the most conservative view which is to avoid all controversial topics. This tradition was established in the 19th century to serve the needs of white, wealthy protestant producers and consumers. Books concerning race and sexuality are more likely to be restricted than books regarding violence, making it harder for minority groups to get their books published. Censored books can transport young readers beyond their reality and allow them to vicariously experience feelings of empathy and humility for the characters in the stories. Banned books also allow readers to look back at history from a different perspective. For example, in the Diary of Ann Frank, we saw the perspective of the Jews in Germany during World War 2. Only telling picture-perfect stories to children further perpetuates the thought that all childhoods are perfect which is rarely the case. As Kate Messner, author of The Seventh Wish, said in response to an angry librarian, “We don’t serve only our children, we serve the children of the real world” (Ringel 4). It’s unfair for children to not be prepared for real-world diversity and challenges.
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Ringel’s essay explored the topic of banning books in a quality way. He brings up valid points regarding why banning books is bad. Ringel says it’s unfair for children to be filtered to where they only see perfect families and outcomes without controversy. When a kid thinks everything is good in the world, they think that if they are not perfect like the people in the books then they are bad. This perception could lead to long-term stress and depression if children are not exposed to diverse content such as race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, mental illness, and disability. As stated by Kate Messner, “When we say ‘This book is inappropriate,’ we’re telling those children ‘your situation … your family … your life is inappropriate” (Ringel 4). Children need to understand that it's okay to be different from the status quo. Banned books allow you to go back in time and see things from a different angle. For example, in To Kill a Mockingbird, the story takes the reader to a town in Alabama where it shows what it was like between the different races back in the 30s. This is another prime example of why books should not be banned as they teach young readers a valuable life lesson. Banned Books Week was created to shed light on books frequently deemed inappropriate by teachers, parents, and librarians. Some of the core values of the Banned Books Week include tolerance, compassion, and affirmation; these are grounded in respect for the young readers so they can have a chance to explore imaginary worlds and apply what lessons they learned in their own lives.
Banning books has no benefits to society. Books allow readers to vicariously explore the past, experience different worlds, and explore different cultures. While some advocates for banned books may say that protecting young readers from inappropriate topics will make for a stress-free childhood, the reality is that those sheltered children have an inappropriate perspective of the real world. It is harder for minority authors to get published because the structural biases benefit the status quo. Some of the banned books should be on a mandatory reading list because of their valuable life lessons. One of the main reasons authors write stories is so others can feel what they felt and experience what they experienced, controversial or not, its life.
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