{"id":6440,"date":"2025-03-20T02:04:34","date_gmt":"2025-03-20T02:04:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/compliance\/?p=6440"},"modified":"2025-03-20T17:59:42","modified_gmt":"2025-03-20T17:59:42","slug":"turning-the-page-on-censorship-the-american-school-book-ban-controversy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/compliance\/?p=6440","title":{"rendered":"Turning the Page on Censorship: The American School Book Ban Controversy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rose Airaldi <\/em><\/p>\n

Associate Editor<\/em><\/p>\n

Loyola University Chicago School of Law, JD 2026<\/em><\/p>\n

Across the United States, waves of book bans are reshaping student\u2019s access to literature. Libraries have been transformed from quiet places to explore new topics into battlegrounds for parents and policymakers to impose their ideological beliefs. During the 2023 \u2013 2024 school year, the United States saw book ban numbers triple<\/a> from the year prior. The most frequently attacked books were those written by minorities and those providing representation for marginalized students. These important materials address pressing issues, such as racism, gender inequality, identity formation, and the effects of personal trauma. Book bans do a great disservice to the next generation<\/a>, robbing them of opportunities to explore new ideas and develop crucial critical thinking skills.<\/p>\n

Those pushing for book bans cite several different concerns, arguing that certain books are inappropriate for children because they put certain ideas in their minds. While these restrictions are concerning, they have helped raise critical questions about the role of education in the formation of a child\u2019s identity, free speech, and the right for students to access diverse and complex narratives. As these bans become a hot topic in the current political climate, it is important to examine the motivation behind them, the resistance efforts, and their long-term impact on students.<\/p>\n

Book banning in schools \u2013 The numbers <\/strong><\/p>\n

A book ban in American schools<\/a> is defined by PEN America as \u201cany action taken against a book based on its content\u2026 that leads to a previously accessible book being either completely removed from availability to students, or where access to a book is restricted or diminished.\u201d<\/p>\n

Throughout the 2023 \u2013 2024 school year, American schools saw over 10,000 instances of banning books<\/a>. This is a dramatic increase from the prior year, in which almost 3,500 book bans<\/a> took place. The state of Florida is the biggest culprit, banning over in a single school year. Students are primarily BIPOC, and those within the LGBTQ+ community. These stories tell the tales<\/a> of abuse, LGBTQ+ individuals, the sexual experiences of women, and racism faced by characters of color. A huge issue with these book bans is that they take away stories in which minority students see themselves represented<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In 2023, the American Library Association recorded that over 4,000 unique titles were looked at to be censored. One of these books is All Boys Aren\u2019t Blue: A Memoir-Manifesto<\/em><\/a> written by George M. Johnson. This novel details Johnson\u2019s life growing up as a Black, queer boy in New Jersey. It was challenged 82 times<\/a> for its LGBTQIA+ content and was said to be sexually explicit. Another novel, challenged almost 70 times, is The Perks of Being a Wallflower<\/em><\/a> by Stephen Chbosky. This is \u201ca coming of age novel\u201d about a shy high school freshman and his life in the aftermath of his best friend\u2019s suicide. Chbosky\u2019s novel was challenged for being sexually explicit<\/a> \u2013 mentions of rape, its LGBTQIA+ and drug content, and for profanity. These are just two examples of thousands of important books banned across schools within the United States.<\/p>\n

Motivations behind the book bans<\/strong><\/p>\n

Around the country, \u201cadvocates\u201d are demanding that their voices be heard when it comes to books their children are exposed to. In many instances, parents challenge the accessibility of certain books based on their own personal beliefs or values. A common fear is the idea that books will \u201cpresent ideas, raise questions and incite critical inquiry<\/a> among children that parents, political groups, or religious organizations are not ready to address or that they find inappropriate.\u201d<\/p>\n

A mother in Florida, Tiffany Justice, told the New York Times that she believes \u201cparents should not be vilified for asking if a book is appropriate.<\/a>\u201d Justice believes the books being challenged discuss sexual activity that children are not ready to learn. Sexual content is just one of many common reasons for the ban of a book<\/a>. Other reasons for book censorship include discussion of racial issues, the use of profanity, unpopular religious affiliations, political biases, and encouragement of a dangerous lifestyle.<\/p>\n

These concerns have transcended school board meetings and parent discussion forums<\/a>, becoming key points for politicians around the country. Greg Abott, the republican Governor of Texas, wrote to the Commissioner of the Texas Education Agency<\/a> demanding the agency \u201cinvestigate any criminal activity in [our] public schools involving the availability of pornography.\u201d This move incited fear amongst the librarian community<\/a> in Texas, many worrying they could become targets in the near future. Two states away in Mississippi, the Madison County Library System had its funding targeted when their mayor \u201crefused to release the money<\/a>\u201d until libraries had removed \u201cbooks with L.G.B.T.Q. themes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Resistance and advocacy efforts<\/strong><\/p>\n

In Illinois, lawmakers signed into effect a new law \u2013 \u2013 requiring state libraries to \u201cadopt the American Library Association\u2019s long-standing Library Bill of Rights.\u201d This \u201cbill of rights\u201d prohibiting the banning, removal, or restriction of books based upon \u201cpartisan or doctrinal disapproval.\u201d A refusal to adopt Public Act 103-0100<\/a> results in the ineligibility of the library for state grant money \u2013 a huge funding source for libraries. On the west coast, a California law aims to preserve Californians access to materials representing diverse experiences<\/a>. Here, school districts are financially penalized if they are found to have rejected or removed books from \u201ctheir library shelves for discriminatory reasons.\u201d<\/p>\n

Many organizations across the country are actively fighting against book bans. PEN America<\/a> is a 501(c)(3) organization working to \u201cunite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible.\u201d PEN America researches threats to freedom of expression<\/a>, such as tracking book bans and fighting against censorship in Americans libraries and public schools. Another important initiative is Unite Against Book Bans (Unite)<\/a>, created by the American Library Association. Unite is a collective of \u201creaders, parents, students, educators, authors,\u201d etc. who oppose censorship. Unite \u201cconnects, equips, and mobilizes<\/a>\u201d the greater public to advocate for reading rights and works towards eradicating the removal of books and materials from schools and libraries across the country.<\/p>\n

Actions have consequences: The future of book access<\/strong><\/p>\n

Book banning has, and will continue to have, significant effects across the country. Not only do students suffer \u2013 so do their teachers. The biggest issue is that book bans limit educator\u2019s curriculum<\/a>. Educators are stifled in their planning processes, forced to remove diverse perspectives surrounding critical topics and pressured to avoid controversial conversations<\/a>. This can lead to \u201cnarrowed academic standards<\/a>\u201d and reduced student involvement.<\/p>\n

When a teacher is restricted from providing their students with diverse perspectives, the student\u2019s learning experience is curbed<\/a>. Without the ability to engage in discussions about novels with controversial themes and intricate storylines, students are at risk for developing a \u201chomogenized worldview.<\/a>\u201d Additionally, students emotional growth can be adversely impacted. School literature many times exposes children to \u201cdifficult and sensitive themes and situations that are part of the human experience.<\/a>\u201d Exposure to these narratives helps children have a better understanding of their world and allows them to develop empathy for others. Without these stories, students may experience trouble understanding complex emotions<\/a> in the future.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n

Book bans in the United States are not simply about limiting a students access to certain titles. These bans shape a child\u2019s engagement with literature and history. Many argue that book bans protect children from controversial topics and harmful narratives, but fail to realize the detrimental effects they have on marginalized voices. Book bans silence minority groups and hurt students critical thinking skills from being put to the test. The growing resistance from advocacy groups, lawmakers, parents, students themselves, and educators highlights the differences in perspectives. As discussions over censorship in schools continues, the fight against it is critical to ensuring students go into the world with an open mind, a heart for others, and a well-rounded educational experience under their belts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Across the United States, waves of book bans are reshaping student\u2019s access to literature. Libraries have been transformed from quiet places to explore new topics into battlegrounds for parents and policymakers to impose their ideological beliefs. During the 2023 \u2013 2024 school year, the United States saw book ban numbers triple from the year prior. The most frequently attacked books were those written by minorities and those providing representation for marginalized students. These important materials address pressing issues, such as racism, gender inequality, identity formation, and the effects of personal trauma. Book bans do a great disservice to the next generation, robbing them of opportunities to explore new ideas and develop crucial critical thinking skills.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":155,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[2366,2365,2324,687,688,2367],"class_list":["post-6440","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-education","tag-american-library-association","tag-book-banning","tag-censorship","tag-education","tag-education-department","tag-libraries"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/compliance\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6440","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/compliance\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/compliance\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/compliance\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/155"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/compliance\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6440"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/compliance\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6440\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6447,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/compliance\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6440\/revisions\/6447"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/compliance\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6440"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/compliance\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6440"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/compliance\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6440"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}