Argumentative Essay: Banning Books In Public Schools

Banned books are basically books that are thought to be “unsuited” for their intended age group and are therefore challenged by parents to be removed from a school or any local library shelf. I personally do not agree with banning books. I believe that most books that are being banned

The book Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is one of the most challenged pieces of literature in school systems today. Challenged meaning, being the subject of debate on whether or not it should be banned. The reason for the challenge is largely due to the profanity that finds its way into the story. This raises many questions as to whether or not this profanity should be exposed to children or endorsed by the school system. Although the use of profanity in the book Of Mice and Men may lead to dangers of children using those bad words more frequently, the use of it in the story allows teachers to explore the use of profanity and its effect on the english language.

By examining the profanity, racial content, and references to rape, it’s deemed inappropriate for teens to read and is banned from several school libraries and lessons in school. Does the moral lesson of the story outweigh the so called inappropriate content of the book? Many people would agree with me if I said that To Kill a Mockingbird has a lesson in the story that every child should read and learn

Around the globe many books are banned from schools and libraries because of their content. Though many others disagree with the banning of books, because it takes away freedom of speech. Many books are banned and challenged because their content is considered inappropriate or offensive to the readers. But, others find that it goes against our First Amendment rights when they take away what someone else has written. Butler University also shows other reasons for why books are often times banned.

For the reason that the n-word appears 219 times in the novel, many schools have decided to ban the book in their classrooms. Cautiously questioning students whether or not the novel arouses an “uncomfortable” (Coeyman) feeling, teachers debate on teaching The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Multiple teachers feel that their inter-racial classes may include students who feel offended by the n-word. Various schools have considered the novel to be “...too racially offensive…”(Coeyman). For instance, school districts in Virginia have banned the book after a mother complained about how her son was disturbed by the “‘...racial slurs in there and offensive wording that you can’t get past…’”(Balingit).

Books are an essential way to gain knowledge whether they are controversial or not. Thousands of books have been banned from public libraries and schools due to being deemed ‘inappropriate’ by parents, administrators, or religious leaders. Whether Americans should ban books in public libraries and schools is an often debated topic. This censorship of books is dangerous, as it restricts the American people's’ ability to access information, leaving Americans ignorant. Historically, banning books is not a new practice.

Book banning in public schools should cease in existence, for the reason that controlling what students should or should not read violates the first amendment right of freedom of speech, some students to feel left out or treated as burdens when they are not allowed to read a book for an assignment, leaving minority students misrepresented or not represented at all, and preconditions the mindsets of students to formulate a preconceived idea rather than students formulating their own opinions. To form their own opinions students need to be exposed to all avenues in a safe, controlled environment, such as schools, in order to truly find out who they are, and who or what they want to represent. If parents have an issue with the topics discussed

When it comes to banning a book, many different criteria have to be met. With books in high school, it can be very controversial with parents as to which books need to be banned. In Schools, books are banned from things like foul language, sexual content, of just speaking about things parents or the school board may not like. In this book Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli, it is being banned because it is a story about a little Jewish boy and how it was during the Holocaust. Dean Schneider on Bookpage.com says, “Underlying this story of war and the Holocaust is a young boy’s search for a name and something to believe in.” Along with this book and multiple others out there, even though the books may not want and enjoy these “awful” things, sometimes

Books can create portals to different life experiences and encourage reading. A few schools and libraries have challenged the educational value of some books, however, therefore leading them to eventually be prohibited in a particular place. Each reason may be different depending on the book and the location of the exclusions. Books are icons of literature, and their value should outshine the occasionally offensive topic. Be that as it may, there are multiple reasons why books should be taught and included in a curriculum.

This has lead many schools and educational institutions to question whether the book is appropriate to be in class curriculums, and has even sparked outrage from parents claiming that they will not allow their children to read the book’s stirring content. By researching the effects of graphic literature on young minds, it has become clear that although the questioned content within this novel definitely hold merits and contributes to the context of a 1960’s mental ward, One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest should be prohibited from all high school curriculums because its violent and inappropriate depictions contribute to the adoption of damaging and violent behavior by students alike. One Flew