Read Banned Books

Editor:

In support of the right to choose books freely for ourselves, the American Library Association and libraries across this nation are celebrating Banned Books Week, October 1-7, an annual recognition of our right to access books without censorship. Since its inception in 1982, Banned Books Week has reminded us that while not every book is intended for every reader, each of us has the right to decide for ourselves what to read.  Thanks to the wonderful libraries in my schools and in this community, I have been doing that my whole life.

When I was a preteen, I was old enough to walk from my home in Statesboro on Woodrow Avenue to the Statesboro Regional Library on South Main, a much smaller building than it is now, but in the same location.  I would check out all the books my arms would allow me to carry from the Young Adult section of the library.  I could usually carry seven or eight, unless one of them was a book like Gone with the Wind.  I’m not sure why I didn’t have a backpack or bookbag in the 50’s and early 60’s.  Most of us just carried our books in our arms.  Then every night and on the weekends, I would lose myself in these precious works with settings very unlike mid-century Statesboro.  Books from other time periods like To Kill a Mockingbird and Grapes of Wrath, and those from other cultures like The Good Earth helped me to connect and empathize with people in a different place and time.  And fantasy novels like A Wrinkle in Time encouraged my own imagination.  All of them helped nurture my growth and development.

I was also introduced to a lot of good literature in school.  I can remember Mrs. Marsh reading Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream every Friday afternoon in the 8th grade and being introduced by Mrs. Roach to Norse Mythology in the 9th Grade.  Of course, the schools had libraries as well and we were encouraged to check out the books or read them when we visited. 

I fear that our young folks today will not have these same opportunities. Reading is a foundational skill, critical to future learning and to exercising our democratic freedoms. Books are tools for understanding complex issues, and limiting young people's access to books does not protect them from these complex and challenging issues. Additionally, young people deserve to see themselves reflected in a library's books. 

Of course, the banning of books is as old as printed material itself, but there has been a huge increase in the last few years.  From July 2021 to June 2022, PEN America found 2,532 instances of individual books being banned, affecting 1,648 unique book titles. The bans occurred in 32 states, with Texas and Florida leading the nation, according to PEN America’s landmark 2022 Banned in the USA report.  Sadly, many of the books listed are books that target children, teens, and young adults.  Often the books that are banned are the very kind of books that helped us all see something bigger than our own families and hometowns when we were growing up.  The bans target books that highlight varying cultures, family structures, as well as different races and ethnic groups. Especially targeted in recent years are any books that help children and young adults understand more about LGBTQ+ folks. 

In addition to book banning, laws are being passed to narrow the curriculum and prohibit teachers from reading many books.  One teacher in Cobb County, Georgia was fired in 2023 for reading the book My Shadow is Purple last year to her 5th Grade class.  My Shadow is Purple by Scott Stuart is a lovely book for young children about being true to themselves.  So, this is a great book for letting non-binary children know that they aren't alone and for helping others to be more accepting.  The teacher contended that the new Georgia law is not specific enough for her to know what is not appropriate for her to read.  But she’s fired.  The message to other teachers is BEWARE!

Parents do have a right to guide their own children’s reading.  But they do not have the right to guide everyone else’s children’s reading.  A more appropriate thing for a parent to do would be to read the book themselves and discuss the reasons with their child why they did not agree with the book’s premise. 

Books that I read as a young person have also shown up on these banned books lists, many that we would consider classics.  But according to Georgia Law, if a single parent complains, it must be investigated.  And the decision about whether it remains on the shelves and/or part of the curriculum has been removed from professional media specialists and teachers and put into the hands of building administrators, who are more likely to bend to parental complaints.

It is the contention of the American Library Association and many other groups that removing and banning books from our libraries is a slippery slope to government censorship and the erosion of our country's commitment to freedom of expression. I implore your readers to reject any efforts to ban books and also to commit to reading some of these books themselves.  Hopefully, you can still check them out at our library!

Jane Altman Page

Statesboro