Banned Books - Colquitt County High School -
Student Thoughts
Students in English Language Arts classes at CCHS spent time in September and October 2007 discussing book challenges, book banning, and the implications of that issue. Classes worked with their language arts teachers and with Mrs. Youse, Media Specialist, to learn the difference between a challenged and a banned book. Students viewed a Power Point presentation and took part in some excellent discussions on the issue.
A challenge is when someone requests that a book be removed from the shelves of a library. Banning a book is when the book is actually removed.
We have had no books removed from the shelves at CCHS. Students were curious about whether or not the public library here in Moultrie, Georgia had ever removed a book from the shelves, so we contacted Melody Jenkins, Director of the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library. We learned that in the last thirty-two years, only two books have been challenged at our local public library. Neither book was removed from the shelf, though they were relocated to different sections of the library.
Mrs. Blaha's 11th grade classes were assigned papers on the issue of banning books. No student chose to write in defense of banning books, though that was an option.
The assignment met in full or in part the following Georgia Performance Standards: ELA11W1, ELA11W2, ELA11W4, ELA11C1, ELA11C2, ELA11SV2, ELAALRC2, ELAALRC4, and SSUSH5
The assignment:
Writing Prompt:
"In 2006, there were 546 reported complaints filed requesting that materials be banned (removed) from library shelves. If a book is banned, no one should read it."
Directions:
Write a letter either defending one's right to freely read whatever he chooses or arguing that there are books that need to be banned. Provide evidence to support your claim. Be sure to include a counterargument.
Student Papers on Banning Books--
A'Maya S.
Did you know that five hundred forty-six complaints were filed in the year two thousand six requesting that certain materials be banned from library shelves?
If a book is banned, then no one is allowed to read it. No one should have the right to decide what books another individual can or can not read. These kinds of decisions should only be decided on by that person or even their parents if that person is a minor.
Some people enjoy different books than others, for example, I may like to read the Bible because I am a Christian but for someone who has a different religious status, the Bible may not be the answer. This should not mean that the Bible should be removed from the library shelves. All that should occur is that that person should not read the Bible unless he so chooses. Instead, he could read whatever pertains to his own religion. I am sure that he wouldn't appreciate it if I was to sue the library and have a book that contains information about his religious beliefs taken from the shelf.
Parents and their children should decide on what books their kids can read. This could avoid day to day issues between kids and the librarian. That way, if a child goes to a reading level above what they were told and decides to read what they please, then that is between them and their parents. These kinds of issues should not have an effect on everyone. Why would a parent want to sue the library because their child made the wrong decision? No one should even have the right to sue for this purpose anyway. The first amendment states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press."
Monyana C.
People should be allowed to freely read whatever they choose. The First Amendment states no law shall be made abridging the freedom of speech. No one should be allowed to tell another what he should or should not read.
Parents who feel that certain books are not appropriate for children should tell their kids not to read them. They don't have the right to stop other people's children from reading a book. Certain books should be read by adults and some read by children.
Books are helpful because they broaden your vocabulary. You learn new words and see different points of views. If you have never been to Alaska or Hawaii you could read a book about the place. People who stay in the city might want to read a book about the rural South.
Adults who think books should be banned because of language content or racism should not read the book. They can't make choices for other people. Everyone has his own right to read whatever he chooses.
Rigoberto G.
Incredibly, books have been banned from our libraries. Precisely not all books have been banned from all our libraries. Only certain ones. Personally, I think books should not be banned.
Books should not be banned because they preserve knowledge. The knowledge books provides us with the understanding of the concepts of how the world came to be. In addition, we can also stay on track with technology by reading more books. When people read books, they gain more knowledge and know about the world and history. Books are extremely powerful.
Books are powerful brains which carry powerful knowledge and should not be banned from libraries. The powerful knowledge that books can provide us can be historical, cultural, and technological. Beneficially they can also provide us with dangerous situations, in which we can learn how to survive. They are powerful enough to manipulate us to take a different course in our lives and be successful. In addition, they can also take us through a bad route.
Books have many different meanings but they still should not be banned...all people are different and have different view points and they need to understand the view points of others and why they like books with different meanings. Some books carry meanings about sex and drugs and others carry meanings about the world and technology but it doesn't matter unless the person that is reading takes if offensively...Some books should be banned from elementary schools because they are too violent for the age group...Incredibly, there are many books that have not been banned from libraries. With middle school students and high school students, many of these books should not be banned.
Kayla K.
When someone breaks a law, they are sent to jail, so why is that when someone bans a book they don't have to suffer the same consequences? Banning a book is contradicting the first amendment of the Constitution.
The first amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or abridging freedom of speech..." and that is why banning a book should be forbidden. The Constitution's purpose is that we as Americans have freedom of speech, religion, and assembly. If a book is taken off the shelves of libraries then you are being deprived of that right.
In 2006, 546 reports of complaints were made to take certain books off shelves. Do you feel that it is fair that one child's parent can control what millions of other children are allowed to read? If so, maybe this will change your mind. Seven years ago the children's book "Little Red Riding Hood" was taken off the shelves in a library in Virginia for 'promoting' alcoholic beverages. Yes, the book that you and I grew up hearing --BANNED! If a parent chooses not to let his child read a certain book, that is his choice to make but it is not his choice of what the other children in the community should read.
I will grant that some books are inappropriate for certain age levels and should be placed in the appropriate area, but that doesn't mean they should vanish. Each person matures at a different times in their life, but it is up to that person and his parents alone to decide what is appropriate and what isn't. Every situation is dependent on that person and their own maturity as well as responsibility.
Students have the choice to choose what they believe is right or wrong. Banning a book is depriving kids of those rights that we have as citizens of the United States of America.
Amber W.
Should people you don't know be able to tell you what you can and can't read by banning books? Of course not. It should be up to parents and their kids to decide. People who don't know you shouldn't be able to tell you that you can read the books you choose. Banning books should not be allowed.
Books offer knowledge. When people tell you that can't read a certain book, they deprive you of knowledge. Some people need to be able to read books, like 'Uncle Tom's Cabin.,' in order to learn about racism. If books like this are banned, how are people going to learn about topics that don't exist where they live? Not only are people who live where books are banned being deprived of knowledge, but also of history.
However, parents should be able to tell their kids what they can and can't read. They know the maturity level of their kids. They also know what their kids' values are. Parents don't know the maturity levels of other kids. Therefore parents should only tell their own kids what to read.
People should not ban books. It deprives children of knowledge. People who don't know you should have no right to choose what you read.
Tania H.
Banning books from libraries seems to be a big deal right now. People want to remove books from shelves for any reason. They are not thinking about what the purpose of the book. People just want the books to be removed because of the language or because they think the author is teaching immoral ideas to their kids. If a person has the right to choose the book he wants to read, then why should someone he doesn't know have the right to stop him from reading what he wishes?
Authors write books to let their audience know their opinion on certain topics. A person may not agree with the author's opinion, but the book does not have to be banned because that person doesn't agree with the author. One has the right to choose what one wishes to read and no one should take that right away.
People want to banish books for the most senseless reasons. For example, a parent tried to remove 'Fallen Angels' because it has profane language. The book does have profane language but it is not meant to teach kids curse words. It tries to teach about the true meaning of friendship and about the Vietnam War. Books are written so that one can gain knowledge on the book's topic.
However, there are inappropriate books for certain ages. For this reason, parents should be aware of what their kids read. This doesn't mean that they should banish a book they don't want their kids to read. Other parents might not mind their kids reading that book. If a parent does not want their child to read something, then they can be aware of what their own kids are reading. If a parent tries to banish a book from a library it's like telling a kid they don't understand enough to read that book. It's the same thing for anyone else who tries to banish a book. It is like telling someone they can't read that book because that person did not agree with the book.
Arrienne M.
A book is a set of printed sheets of paper bound together between two covers forming a work of fiction or non-fiction, and is merely a figment of one's imagination which should be expressed to anyone who deems it necessary. I believe that it is one's right to be able to read or write whatever he or she wants to. The day that a book is banned from a library is the day that our country scorned our forefathers and subdued the Constitution of these United States of America.
I believe there are many arguments of why certain books should be banned from the public. Foul language or even the promotion of something in which you don't believe in are two reasons, but should the people who have a few different views than you also be deprived? Every citizen has the lawful right to choose what books they wish to read or check out from their local library. But our audience is more focused on the younger division--isn't that why they have a children's' section? If a parent has a problem with a book his child checked out or read, then he should discuss it with their child or the librarian to see if they could reach an agreement on what is appropriate.
Not everyone has the same views on issues or on life. Just because one person has the perception that a book is inappropriate, it doesn't mean the government should take away the right of another American citizen to read that book. Everyone should be able to read whatever his or her interests are. For instance, just because one person is allergic to chocolate doesn't mean they should ban it from America. If substitutions are made for chocolate, substitutions can be made for books. You can choose what section you go to in the library. For kids they have children's book is a specified area, same for all of the other books also. Alternatives and adjustments can be made to try to please most people
It's not fair or even close, when a library bans a book because some child's parent disagrees with a book's content. Everyone should be able to make their own choice. Books were not written and published to become banned from select libraries. Parents should trust more in their children.
Jacob B.
Why do we read books? We read to learn and further our imagination. When you read a fantasy book, it takes you to a place where anything is possible, where you can be anything you want to be. When an author writes a work, he doesn't sit down and write it in one day. The writing process for a book normally takes two or more years for completion. If that book was to be banned, it would cause great heartache for the writer and reader alike.
When I think about a book being banned there is one that comes to mind: Harry Potter. There have been parents along with other members of society who have decided that it would be best if these books were banned. This world-renowned series shouldn't be banned because there are people who have strong feelings against it. When one of the 'Harry Potter' books is read, the reader goes into another world full of monsters and magic. As a child reads a fantasy book, his mind begin to fill with imagination and it makes him feel as if he can do anything.
The First Amendment of the United States Constitution says that Americans have the freedom to read or say what they like. In layman's terms it says that an American citizen can say or read anything without punishment. If a member of society states that a book should be banned, he is expressing his first amendment rights along with taking it away from others.
Furthermore, books are made for learning and should be used for such. Every book written throughout history has had a moral. When a person bans a book he holds a child back form learning an important lesson which could greatly affect that person's life. Why should one person be prevented from learning through another's inconsiderate decision?
One person's decision shouldn't cause another person to miss out on a life lesson. The first amendment protects that right. If a person reads a book and finds he doesn't like it, he doesn't have to read it or try to have it banned. Why should a small group of people decide if a book is unsuitable for America? Don't let a minority decide that a book is banned; we need to fight for our rights as American citizens.
Tre M.
Reading is the foundation of wisdom. When choosing books to read, people tend to look for subjects that relate to life today. They might want to read books that help them understand life today. If books were banned from shelves, in a way, our freedom would be limited.
Books help you learn many things. Books have effects on people's lives and help them relate to other people and to problems in many ways. If it were not for books we wouldn't be where we are today or know nearly as much as we know. I believe that people in the world that don't know us shouldn't have the right to choose what we read. I think that we should exercise our rights to read what we desire. Many people want to ban books they haven't read. People should give books a chance. They may not understand the message that the book is trying to get through to the audience. Books, in a way, are like people--they speak out loud in what they believe and they get out their message. What we read is a part of who we are and to not read what we feel tells people that we are less than what we really are. No matter the book, we should be able to read it. Books contain the knowledge that helps us grow, so we should read what we feel.
Yessica L.
There are many people that have never read about some things. The library provides much information. People who don't like specific books are permitted to file a complaint against those books. Sometimes the book will be banned from the library.
It's not fair to people that want to read a book to not be able to do so. People have the right to read what they choose to read. It's their decision if they like the book or not. Yet many books are being banned from libraries and people want to have the privilege to read them.
There are many reasons why a person may file a complaint against a book. The book may contain material that the person or child found offensive. People often get insulted by material about religion or by the language used in some books. If they don't like a book, they shouldn't read it at all.
Banning books should not be allowed. Everyone can decide for himself whether he likes a book and chooses to read it. For the people that don't like a certain book they should just not read it and not worry about it.
Garrett B.
As you are aware, in 2006 there were over 546 complaints filed which asked for certain materials to be banned from libraries across the nation. I find these types of requests to be unconstitutional because people should be allowed to read any type of material they choose. I feel it is our duty to support our country's first amendment which states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press..."
If one allows certain materials to be banned from libraries, you will not be following laws established by the U.S. Constitution. As a young reader, I feel it is my right as an American citizen to choose whether I read a book or not. My parents have taught me right from wrong. If there are certain books I think I should read, let me be the judge. I'm old enough and responsible enough to make this type of decision on my own. I don't need others to make the decision for me.
Censorship isn't right according to the law. People have a right to read whatever they want, and to write also. These rights are the freedom of speech and of the press. If you chose to avoid these laws, what other laws will you avoid later? Will we lose other rights given to us by the Constitution? I hope not.
Just as people have the right to read any type of book, they also have the right not to read any book they don't want to read. I don't agree with a few people deciding what is right for the rest of us to read. Who made these book banners the boss of everyone else? It is not their job to rule the nation and decide what is right or wrong.
The Constitution states that we have freedom of speech. The first amendment is good and does not need to change!
Julianne G.
Today there are at least 546 reported complaints filed requesting that materials be banned from library shelves. People want these books removed because of strong sexual content, language, belief of promotion of witch craft, and other negative reasons. As a current high school student, I want to be able to make my own choices regarding the material I read.
Students should be old enough by the time they're in high school to make the right choices. As a teenager, one of the responsibilities I have is learning to be a responsible individual. Banning books leads away from that goal. It makes me appear incapable of choosing right from wrong. Some books share information and experiences that some people go through in life. Reading one of those books could send a positive message even though there may be a curse word or two.
In this economy television has been a become a huge influence on young teens as well as adults. It doesn't make sense that it isn't OK to read a certain book, but on television it's OK to watch whatever you want. Many shows have terrible language, strong sexual content, and other negative influences but people still watch them.
Instead of a library having to ban a book, the problem may be handled in one of many other ways. A child's parents could sign a letter in advance. The next day when the child has the letter, they may check out their book. This example really should pertain to middle school and elementary school because in high school you should know by then what is a good choice for you to read.
Eventually a person should have all rights to choose the book suitable for him. This way he can learn and have the knowledge he wants and needs instead of that possibility being taken away by banning books.
Thomas W.
No, you can not read that book; it has been banned. Just last year over 400 books were challenged. I do not think that anyone should be able to ban books. You should be able to read any book you choose.
You would not like anyone telling you what books you can and can not read. There are several books that may be considered inappropriate for children that are still in grade school. However, once a child has reached 12 or 13 years of age, there are not that many books that contain language that they have not heard before. If they have not heard language that is in a book in a school library, perhaps then they need to hear it. The real world is not written and edited like a children's picture book.
As for you parents out there, what if someone told your child he could not read a book? You, as a parent, should be the one who decides what your child can or can not read. In that same respect, for you to challenge a book is just like trying to tell someone else's child what he can and can not read.
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees citizens' rights to freedom of religion, speech, the press, and political activity. To ban any book would be the same as taking away an author's right to freedom of speech, which has been guaranteed to him by the U.S. Constitution. Who are we to deprive anyone of rights U.S. citizens have been held since 1791 when the first ten amendments to the Constitution were ratified?
Please direct any questions or comments to Cheryl Youse, Media Specialist, CCHS
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