Dear Ms. Berner,

“Censorship is the enemy of truth” -Bill Moyers. Not owning banned books in our school library is a difficulty for children who are interested in reality. I believe banned books offer relatable situations for children who have problems at home and for students who want to learn the “real” side of our world, and not the ones we see on TV. Banned books can be a little disturbing but there should be at least a content warning, and the reader shall decide. Undoubtedly concerned parents slightly disagree. They believe there are no lessons to be offered in these books, other than to influence and bring their children into the world of sex, drugs, and violence. Banned books should be allowed in our school’s library, and in public libraries across the country.

Banned books require a level of maturity, there needs to be a certain level of understanding for the reader to develop a lesson from the book. The book a reader chooses should depend on their level of maturity. “The determination about which books should be restricted from children depends on their level of maturity. A person less mature might misinterpret the meaning of subject matter resulting in inappropriate thoughts, beliefs or behavior.” said Brandon Redlinger from www.csindy.com. This statement agrees with the majority of the student community. We believe students should have power over what they read. Students shouldn’t be restricted to what they read. “I have visited dozens of high schools, rich and poor, private and public, integrated and segregated, absolutely safe, and fearfully dangerous, and have heard hundreds of stories that are tragic and collectively amazing.” Sherman Alexie said. Banned books featuring drugs, sex and violence can help teens across America dealing with struggles at home, and in their own personal lives. Reading these books will provide an outlet, and a stress reliever for these teens. It will help them relate, succeed, and progress happily.  

Banning books is like blinding someone, covering their eyes from reality. How can you expect someone to mature, grow, and develop sympathy for others when you aren’t able to experience situations that are a reality for other students? “The current research suggests that books can give readers more than one opportunity to tune out and submerge themselves in fantasy worlds. Books provide an opportunity for social connection.” - Gabriel and Young Providing social connection for struggling and discouraged teens will give them support to help them in their situations, lives, and daily struggles with personal issues they have at home. For example, a teen addicted to drugs can read a story about someone overcoming the addiction and will influence them to do the same.

Others may say that banned and challenged books offer too much violent and sexual content. “Oh jeez, do we really have to have this argument again? Here goes, contemporary literature has too much sex and violence and our kids need to be protected from its depravity.” -Meghan Cox Gordon. Why ban violence and sex now? It has been around forever in literature. Classics, Shakespeare, and so many other poets feature the same amount or even more of drastic and sexual content. We are exposed to these themes everyday, news, movies, video games, and most importantly, the internet.

In conclusion, I feel that banning books is a wrong doing and should be illicit. Banning books hides the real side of the world, students shouldn’t be held back to explore the lives of another human being, or a fantasy character. If a book is really that bad that it should be banned, there should be a stamp warning. A stamp warning is a warning on a book that presents profanity, so there is a forewarning. Having a stamp warning is an excellent way for teens to attain maturity in giving them a choices in life.

From,

Adam Almontaser