Is It Banned Book Week, Again?

I swear it feels like they do this a few times per year. Wasn’t I just reading about banned books on everyone’s blog a few months ago? And really, are there so many banned books out there that it takes multiple years to blog about them? It’s getting a little ridiculous hearing about this every year like clockwork, especially when he average blogger does nothing more than give a list of formerly banned books, and maybe laments the stupidity of the banning agency. I mean, come on guys! There are enormous social, legal and moral issues behind the banning of books, and nobody ever says “boo!” about them. Take this list here. Some of these books I’ve never even heard of, but others are important to the American Experience that PBS is always going on and on about. Before you make your next list, Blogosphere, think about how different your life and understanding of our culture would have been if any of these books had not been a part of your lives (well, at the last six or so).

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Published:: 01.12.11 / 1am

Category:: Articles

ErasOmnius 01.29.11 / 7am

All of the books on the list are okay as literature. None of them are that preachy, except for “The Giver”.

The way I got my local school board to change their mind on Lowry’s work was to propose ‘The Chrysalis’ instead, a far better piece of work.

Omphalos 01.29.11 / 7pm

Not sure what you mean. You got them to accept a formerly banned book by suggesting they accept another? I honestly wonder why they even are banning books anymore. Every single one of them is probably available on the Internet. One kid gets a book and emails the juicy parts to all the others. Back in the day it was a pretty effective way to keep information out of kid’s hands. Probably pretty useless today.

ErasOmnius 01.30.11 / 8am

I found that I feel that mandatory curriculum readings put forth by public schools can include books that are too controversial, too non-traditional. ‘The Giver’ was one of them.

So, a group of parents and I, got the School Board to reject ‘The Giver’, which is a preachy book. It has the Left’s usual anti-traditional reflections and outlook on life–namely reproduction. It is far too skewed in view for middle school boys and girls.

I know kids are going to e-mail books and materials, even porn, back and forth. But as far as a ‘non-traditional’ book being mandatory reading, then the quizzes, and tests. In other words, ingrained into our children’s minds, I think that is too far.

Most of the time, School Boards will accept non-banned books as substitutes, if the topic is presented correctly.

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Is It Banned Book Week, Again?

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