Banned books: Why is it important to advocate for our hardcovers and paperbacks?

If you’re a fan of the ECHO, there’s a good chance you’re a fan of books and literature in general. But did you know that some legislators are working to ban some of our most cherished literary works?

Books are being prohibited in libraries by law due to their “sensitive content,” but what does this really mean?

A variety of “highly sensitive” topics include: violence, negativity, depression, offensive language, LGBTQ+ themes, and even the presence of witchcraft.

We passionately advocate for the freedom to read!

Here at Beaver Area, we’re fortunate to have numerous students who love to read and strongly support our right to read without censorship.

One such avid reader, senior Grace Vinopal, stated: “Banning books limits our view of the world and discourages readers from learning in general.”

You might be thinking to yourself: Are some of these books deserving of such a harsh punishment as a ban? I mean what kind of books are receiving this backlash?

Here are a few examples (they might surprise you . . . ) from library.fgcu.edu:

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (that’s right literature gang, our favorite coming-of-age story☺️☺️)

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (I guess Peeta ain’t making bread no more . . . )

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (Mrs. Bixler, I’m looking at you.)

Captain Underpants (series) by Dav Pilkey (The elementary books you never found funny but boys thought were hilarious.)

Goosebumps (series) by R.L. Stine (The books you swore didn’t scare you.)

Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl (I guess history doesn’t matter . . . )

Looking for Alaska by John Green (Why insulate us from grief?)

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (It’s a classic for a reason.)

The Holy Bible (A head scratcher, for sure.)

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (C’mon, Atticus is the man.)

That’s right, the books on this list have been challenged or banned in federal court.

Plus, there are thousands more—your favorite book could be next.

So, what do we do to combat this overreach?

A few things:

Send an email to your school board. Encourage local leaders to think critically about their ban book requests, and remind them that loud voices do not speak for the majority.

Find students and teachers who can help. At Beaver Area especially there are many teachers who vehemently support the First Amendment. Brainstorm ideas, plan, and organize. Find students who can help out too.

Find organizations that can help. Organizations such as the American Library Association have multiple resources for people who want to support anti-censorship programs. The ALA maintains databases of challenged books, and reporting local censorship efforts can help this organization identify issues.

Buy a banned book. This one is simple and effective. Not only does this help support the author, but it also shows publishers that said book is loved by readers and is in turn less likely to be banned. Don’t have ready cash? Check out a not-yet-banned book from the library.

Vote. If you can vote, vote for local (and national) leaders who support our right to read! If you can’t vote, speak publicly about books and send a letter to local legislators or school boards.

Beaver Area High School librarian Mrs. Erin Bechdel said it best: “There is a book for every reader, but not every book is for every reader. And that’s okay. Something that someone may deem inappropriate might be a book another person needs.”

Wise words.