Thursday, February 22, 2007
Banned Books
There is much controversy when it comes to the topic of banned books. Should some be banned? What content is appropriate? What opinions should be banned and what should be available? One of the most controversial books today is also one of the most popular. Harry Potter, byJ.K. Rowling has caused a lot of controversy because of some parental and organizational opposition to the references to magic and wizardry. Fortunately, the popularity of Harry Potter has been able to overcome the opposition, but is that the case for all? What are we missing out on, and at what cost are we "protecting" our children/students. Is the end worth the means?
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8 comments:
I think that books should not be banned. Books are like art, different people like different things. Also if the parents have a problem with the content of the book then they should talk to their children about it and maybe not let them read it!
I agree that banning the books actually harms the children or even teenagers by sheltering them. By telling them what they can or cannot read, we are controlling their opinions and the information they need to form well rounded opinions. I believe that by banning books someone is telling us that a piece of literature is not worth our time because of some "inappropriate" material. However, that material will more than likelt reach the students in another less appropriate way and most likely in a an atmosphere where it can't be discusssed fully like it would in a school.
I believe that there are books that should be banned from schools, especially in middle and jr. high schools. But once a student has made it to high school they are old enough and should be mature enough to handle the content of any book used in the classroom.
I believe that there are many books that are not appropriate for children and some should be banned. Sometimes this banning process can be a little over the top, a good example of this is Harry Potter. With good judgement and common sense I believe the banning of certain books is neccessary.
I agree with Ryan in that there are some books that should be banned in the elementary and jr high level. Some of the subject matter in books is just too mature for kids at that age. But by time they are in high school, students should be able to read whatever ineterests them. By then there is a good chance they have seen movies or tv shows with "inappropriate material" so they should be able to read about it if they want. And if they haven't seen any of these movies or tv shows, then they probably won't be interested in reading an inappropriate book.
No doubt there are some books that are inappropriate for certain levels of students. Even for high school students, there needs to be some guidelines to follow. I'm sure we could all think of books that are completely irrelevant and inappropriate for a classroom. However, the whole issue of banning books seems to be centered around different perceptions of morality and values. Who makes these decisions? Obviously, some parameters must exist but they should be based on pertinence to education and that includes many viewpoints and positions on many controversial issues. At some point, the teachers and administrators we hire should be capable of exercising sound judgment for their students.
I agree that there are some books that may be inappropriate for students to read. I also think that the books that are being banned from schools are appropriate for students to read. By banning the books we are getting rid of our cultural history and not allowing students to experience what life and imagination can do to influence the ways books have been written.
i used to coach women's rugby in toronto a few decades ago. do you play in maggotfest? i know i have already posted a response on literature, but the rugby news was interesting.
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