Censorship: Why I Read Banned Books

Are you okay with schools taking away your rights? Books help people of all ages navigate life. There are no laws saying what a book can not include. Books are being banned based on bias and other opinions. Lastly, students are not able to learn about all topics because of the censorship of books. Censorship in schools and libraries violates people’s first amendment rights. Books can help people learn to not make the mistakes in the text. For example, “For nearly as long as the written word has existed, it has been a target for censorship” (“Books”). First of all, this quote is important because it proves censorship in the media has been an issue for a while, no matter what is written someone would have a problem with it. Lastly, people are quick to silence the voice of others, no matter what form. In addition, …show more content…
In the article “Why I read Banned Books to My Children” it states, “Fear teaches nothing. Censorship is not protecting your children; rather, it's merely a way to avoid lessons you could be teaching them no matter what your beliefs may be.” (McDonald). The quote is very important, it tells how kids can actually benefit from reading banned books. Reading a banned book can also teach kids important lessons they will use later in life. A parent glossing over a touchy subject will not help their child become a better person, as a result, it will give them poor life skills. Additionally, “Censorship is an issue which has been present throughout recorded history. From the beginning, it has been used by individuals and groups to prevent and control the creation, access, and dissemination of ideas and information” (Oppenheim and Smith). Banning books violates the rights of US citizens. The voice of an author is hushed when a book is banned. Not only are we banning books, we are silencing the strong voices inside them. Students should be able to choose what books they want to