Research Argument - Censorship

Becky Lyons
Research Argument


Banning Books and Limiting Education


The banning of certain books in the name of “censorship” has become a very controversial

issue in schools across the nation. Some believe that stories containing questionable material

are unnecessary in educational institutions because they do not enhance educational

development or promote a positive worldview. Books under scrutiny often cover issues dealing

with race, profanity, drug use, violence, sexual situations, and even witchcraft. However,

whether or not a story’s educational value outweighs its controversial content is more of an

opinion made by its reader, and it is not a testable statistic. Therefore, censorship

in schools, in most cases, is inadequately supported and it goes against basic rights that are

protected in the First Amendment.


Censorship is often defined as, “the practice of examining in order to suppress or delete

anything considered objectionable” (Encyclopedia Britannica) This is exactly what school boards

do when they do not permit specific content from being viewed in their institutions. However,

what is being questioned is who has the authority to decide what material is “objectionable”

for young students and why. Usually when schools ban or restrict the distribution of certain

books and authors, it is with the intention of protecting the students, who are easily

influenced, from controversial material. These censorship decisions are often made based on

concerns from parents, the maturity levels of the readers, and also the members of the school

boards’ own personal issues with the stories’content. However, even in cases where censors

are working in the interest of young scholars, they are typically ignoring basic rights of

adolescent scholars. As explained by the author Lois Lowry, “By constricting the breadth of

education, especially the exposure to controversial literature, the community [is hindering]

students’ ability to address and understand real world issues.” Lowry is demonstrating the basic

principle that by censoring out any issues that are objectionable, students are unable to learn

and read about situations that may occur in their own lives. This hinders their ability to adapt to

these situations and deal with them in an effective manner that could otherwise be achieved if

they were to study them in school. As an author whose work has been criticized and been

banned in the past, Lowry speaks from experience and acknowledges that even award winning

books, such as her own young adult novel The Giver, may deal with issues that are difficult to

handle, but they are necessary to promote development of young minds (Ramsey).

Censorship in schools is usually implemented when a story’s content deals with controversial

issues that many students may not have been introduced to yet. Typically, some subject matter

that is not permitted on the basis of it being offensive includes storylines dealing with profanity,

violence, race, drugs, or other topics that are considered to promote immorality. Those that

support censorship generally feel that students should not study or have access to these stories

which may generate a negative model of living. Through this belief, parents and teachers are

assuming that, “…by limiting what children read, they can change society to reflect their

worldview” (Hoffman, 89). Coming to this conclusion not only means that they believe “their”

worldview to be the correct one, but also that they think students will not be influenced by any

other means such as the media in the form of television, the internet, magazines, and many

other sources of information they might gain access to. Many recognize that this is an almost

impossible standard to live up to. Censoring students in such a way prevents them from

discovering about real life situations and in creating a world for them where there are no
problems or controversial issues means that they are not being exposed to reality.

As a result of the belief that censorship will help promote this “healthy worldview,” it has

been implemented in many communities throughout the nation. It is used not only as solution

to deal with issues of morality, but also to eliminate topics that do little more than introduce

new ideas and promote the enhancement of imagination. For example, in recent years, the

Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling has frequently been challenged citing its references

to witchcraft and stating that its portrayal of fantasy could confuse children with reality.

Following boundaries such as these might lead one to wonder how far the boundaries of

censorship may extend. If there are concerns that children may confuse Rowling’s imaginary

world with real life, shouldn’t there also be concerns that young minds may confuse real life

with the whimsical characters they come across in fairy tales or their own literature text books?

The question of who gets to decide which fantasy they are allowed to dream of and imagine

about now comes into play and ultimately challenges a child’s own creativity and imagination

which is definitely a fundamental part of their development.

There are many books that have long been a part of standard reading for young students and

often are required for basic language arts courses in schools. Books such as, To Kill a

Mockingbird, The Catcher in the Rye, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Color Purple,

and The Scarlett Letter are arguably among some of the most influential and critically acclaimed

stories in literature. They are used in literature and English classes for years because of their

insight and highly educational value. However, even with their countless acclamations,

these books are among the most frequently banned in educational institutions for various

reasons. Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is often criticized for profanity and racial content

and J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye questioned for dealing with “…prostitution,

depression, and alienation.” Even the Pulitzer prize-winning story The Color Purple , by Alice

Walker, is challenged for sexual situations, drug use, and excessive violence. Other highly

regarded books that are among the most frequently challenged by American schools are Bridge

to Terabithia, for issues with children disrespecting authority, The Lord of the Flies, for violence

and racial slurs, Of Mice and Men, for profanity and using the Lord’s name in vain, and

Nineteen Eighty-Four , for procommunist material.


The censors are banning these stories for their objectionable content, but it questions if

they are forgetting about the lessons that students can learn from them. These lessons in many

cases are imperative to the development of their thoughtprocesses and by teaching them

through stories like these, what they learn will have an impact on them so that they remember

it and can apply it in their own lives. Some issues covered in these stories may no longer be as

pressing as they once were because society has changed, but that does not decrease their

value. It is just as important to learn about the past and history so that children know about the

way things once were and so they know not to repeat certain wrongdoings. By banning books

such as these, it shows the far reaching consequences of censorship on current and future

generations of students. They will not get a chance to learn these great works of literature in

schools. Perhaps the most harmful aspect of this is that the students will not be taught about

these literary works in an environment where a teacher can explain to them the more adult

situations or the content they find confusing. With proper guidance, students would be able to

comprehend these more complex issues and come to understand why they are controversial or

why certain groups find specific issues offensive.

Many books are often banned for obvious reasons such as the use of profanity or sexual

situations, but with these frequently challenged books are a group of books that are questioned

for content much less expected to be controversial. One such book is the fairy tale “Little Red

Riding Hood” which is said to promote alcoholism among youth citing the reason that the

young girl in the story packs a bottle of wine in a basket which she intends to present to her

ailing grandmother. Another story that has been criticized is “Little Red Cap” from the Tales of

the Brothers Grimm. This is said to not only contain anti-Semitic references, but also its female

characters are portrayed negatively. The well-loved children’s writer Dr. Seuss has even been

criticized for a storyline in one of his creations. His story, “The Lorax,” was challenged because it

was believed that it created a negative view of the forestry industry after the main character

views the destruction of a forest and the disastrous effects caused by a logging company (MIT

Press Bookstore). It is likely that the authors of these stories did not intend to offend anyone in

the creation of their colorful characters and insinuating that they intended to corrupt young

student readers can be considered absurd.

Many groups support censorship, but there are also many that work to promote

intellectual freedom and provide information about censorship and the protection of rights

guaranteed in the First Amendment. For example, the American Library Association is an active

supporter of individuals being able to freely learn and seek information without being

restricted. They believe that the First Amendment provides adequate reasoning that “each of

us has the right to read, view, listen to, and disseminate constitutionally protected ideas, even

if a censor finds those ideas offensive” (American Library Association). The First Amendment

clearly states “Congress Shall Make No Law Respecting an Establishment of Religion, or
Prohibiting the Free Exercise Thereof; or Abridging the Freedom of Speech, or of the Press; or

the Right of the People Peaceably to Assemble, and To Petition the Government for a Redress

of Grievances” (Mount). This is important to remember when making an argument against

censorship because it shows that no individual should be denied access to material just because

a censor may find them offensive.

The Freedom to Read Statement was created in response to censorship and it was created

with the intent to promote academic freedom. Its creators believe that reading is an essential

part of our democratic system and they fully support our nation’s tradition of free expression,

even though they are often challenged. This statement holds that we as a country should “trust

Americans to recognize propaganda and misinformation, and to make their own decisions

about what they read and believe.” They also state, “We do not believe they are prepared to

sacrifice their heritage of a free press in order to be "protected" against what others think may

be bad for them. We believe they still favor free enterprise in ideas and expression” (American

Library Association). These arguments are crucial in the fight against censorship in schools

because they uphold the rights of young people and support that an individual should be able

to use their own education to decide what they think is right or wrong and should not be

guided by what others deem as “offensive” to do so.

Groups such as the American Library Association and the National Coalition Against

Censorship continually support the promotion of intellectual freedom and are constantly

working to fight those wishing to suppress the educational value of books. Their main goal is to

form learning environments in which young students are able to gain the knowledge and skills

they need to become successful and well-educated members of American society. However,
while they support this goal, they also understand the importance of allowing citizens to
practice free speech which includes the denouncement of material they may find offensive.

They do not wish to undermine anyone’s opinion, but they do not believe that anyone has the

right to completely influence someone else’s beliefs by forcing censorship upon them and

preventing them from reading content that may not promote a positive worldview (“Censorship

in Schools”).

Censorship itself is a highly controversial topic and those both for and against it can make many valid arguments. When considering this topic, it is important to consider the moral aspect of it, as well as to remember that our country is based on a series of fundamental rights which work to promote education and freedom of expression. Also, the authors that create the works

that are being banned must be taken into consideration. The banning of books and other

literary works is in a way preventing many authors from writing about controversial topics out

of fear of criticism and judgment. The author Judy Blume, whose stories have often been

challenged, sums up this viewpoint in stating “It’s not just the books under fire

now that worry me. It is the books that will never be written. The books that will never be read.

And all due to the fear of censorship. As always, young readers will be the real losers” (“Judy

Blume on Censorship”). Blume supports the valid argument that censorship has unknown

consequences and in a way, it may be undermining the creative process of writers, and the

readers are the ones that will suffer.

Promotion of the freedom of expression and the enhancement of educational ideals is a

fundamental part of our society. It is critical to allow young readers to view books and materials

that will support their educational development and create environments where their

imaginations can prosper. Censorship works to prevent this and attempts to make a world

where there are no negative issues or controversial topics which is not representative of real

life. This is handicapping children because they will not have the ability to read and inquire

about situations they will come across in their own lives. Ray Bradbury, the author of both the

critically acclaimed and often challenged book Fahrenheit 451, once responded to the attempts

to censor his writing by stating, “…digression is the soul of wit. Take the philosophic asides

away from Dante, Milton or Hamlet's father's ghost and what stays is dry bones. Laurence

Sterne said it once: ‘Digressions, incontestably, are the sunshine, the life, the soul of reading!

Take them out and one cold eternal winter would reign in every page. Restore them to

the writer - he steps forth like a bridegroom, bids them all-hail, brings in variety and forbids the

appetite to fail’” (Swaim). He perfectly sums up the fight against censorship because it is true

that it stunts the development of creativity. No individual should have their opportunity to

learn taken away from them, their creative inquiry prevented, or the enrichment of their

imaginations challenged.





















Bibliography


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http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/lowry.htm .

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