Especially in modern day, there has been more challenges to books with subjects relating to the current climate of topics that seem to be taking a prominence particularly in the public school system. Last week, the Keller Independent School District of Fort Worth has removed a number of books from their library in an effort to determine if those books are appropriate reading for students including: The Diary of Anne Frank, Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, and even the Bible.
The attached article takes you through the books banned from the last century and a recent included Harry Potter book. I think the controversy is in who decides why these books are controversial? With multi-cultural countries, people look through the lens of their own cultural baseline with influences of religion, particularly causative in judgement, along with environmental and social influence.
The author brings up a good point about banning, that may apply to today more then ever.
Don’t they know that attempting to censor (or, in some cases, cleanse the earth of) a novel only makes us all want to read it more? Don’t they realize that the effort to suppress invariably helps usher in the opposite result: literary immortality.
There's a difference between banning from a higher level, such as by government and banning because of what's appropriate in a school, however, if one adds liberty in to the mix, then perhaps books shouldn't be banned for the general public? Should it be, let me decide, or let someone else decide if I can have access to a book? There lies the conundrum.
That is so sad. The Diary of Ann Frank is such a moving story that everyone should read. I have also been thinking of reading the true Mein Kampf because many are saying that it's the best way to get in the mind of someone like Hitler to see how he came to be who he was and how he motivated people to do what they did.
Banning books is a scary thing. People should be able to decide for themselves what they want to read and what they want to let their kids read. I guess it's fine to let people have automatic guns but it's not fine to let them read.
Thank you for this illuminating post!
Donna B said:
That is so sad. The Diary of Ann Frank is such a moving story that everyone should read. I have also been thinking of reading the true Mein Kampf because many are saying that it's the best way to get in the mind of someone like Hitler to see how he came to be who he was and how he motivated people to do what they did.
Banning books is a scary thing. People should be able to decide for themselves what they want to read and what they want to let their kids read. I guess it's fine to let people have automatic guns but it's not fine to let them read.
Thank you for this illuminating post!
I too have memories of the Diary of Ann Frank. In my eighth grade year, my English teacher, Mrs. Jordan (will never forget her; another story), had our class reenact the Diary of Ann Frank through each of us reading a part from the script. We were all selected to play a part. I was Ann Franks mother. Mrs. Jordan felt that it was important for us to learn from history and always had a way of making an impression on her students through memory. The reason I will never forget her is she had us all learn and memorize the 44 prepositions to a rhythm and she also taught us our pronouns by singing to the tune of Yankee Doodle Dandy. To this day, I can still recite all 44 prepositions without error. She also was really into sentence diagramming and what a better visual to learn your parts of speech through diagramming a sentence.
On Mein Kampf, agreed to really understand Hitler, there is no better way. It's an intriguing incite into how he was made and the direction he took because of his ideology.
I felt the same way about banning books. It's a personal choice, as well as parents deciding what books their kids can read also belongs to the parents.
Their should be more logical research and reasoning on book choices vs. banning rather then the illogical and emotional irrational response arguments to allow people with semi-automatic and automatic guns.
Just a little update on the Keller's School district ban on the Diary of Frank, they have decided to reinstate the book, including the bible and other books. Apparently, there was a very heated meeting with parents this past Monday night, and the passionate parents were able to convince the board that these books should not be banned from students as the lessons they illuminate people with are usually lifetime history lessons that can always be applied to modern day. This book banning in Keller, Texas became national news, capturing my attention because books in my lifetime have given me so much joy, comfort and entertainment. I can't even imagine our country going down a crazy road of book banning.
I'm glad they reinstated the books. Thanks for updating this!
LS Admin said:
I'm glad they reinstated the books. Thanks for updating this!
Me too and you're welcome 