The campaign to prohibit books has risen significantly in recent years in America, something that was never seen before. Around the nation, parents, activists, members of school boards, and politicians are criticizing books at a rate that has not been seen in years. For instance, the American Library Association (ALA) reports that 1,269 efforts to prohibit 2,571 distinct titles in 2022, more than double the number of tries in 2021 (“Banned Books,” 2023).
Opponents of book bans contend that doing so violates readers’ First Amendment rights to free speech and access to information. However, the argument underscored by those who support book bans is that it is a crucial step to lessen students’ exposure to improper material. Exposure to sexual content is a legitimate concern in this situation, and it should be addressed appropriately to safeguard youngsters. To effectively foster a young learner’s moral upbringing, it is imperative to restrict sexually explicit content and foul language by banning books.
In schools or public libraries, children should not be exposed to sex, violence, drug use, or other improper themes. Young people are frequently unprepared for the adult topics included in many books in the young adult category (Harris & Alter, 2023). Children’s brains can be damaged and swayed by things like sexually explicit LGBTQ+ content, racism, anti-police sentiments, profanity, and drug usage, which can hurt them as adults. Additionally, these publications may introduce concepts, elicit inquiries, and stimulate critical thinking in youngsters that parents, political parties, or religious institutions are unprepared to confront, leading some kids to rebel against their parents.
Additionally, keeping books with objectionable material out of libraries safeguards children without deterring readers or writers from producing the books. They may still obtain those books elsewhere; their removal from libraries is only a matter of etiquette and honoring a community’s values. Nothing will stop the books from being published or purchased by adults.
References
Banned Books – Top 3 pros and cons. (2023). Britannica ProCon. Web.
Harris, E.A. & Alter, A. (2023). Book ban efforts spread across the U.S. The New York Times. Web.
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