Banned Book Week Kicks Off
by Beth Kade(1)Banned Book Week runs from Sept. 26 to Oct. 3. You got your protest signs ready?
The American Library Association began Banned Book Week to honor all books that have been challenged or banned from schools, libraries or reading lists. Their hope is that the week, “stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints for all who wish to read and access them.”
According to the American Library Association (ALA), there were at least 513 challenges to books in schools and libraries in 2008. But the total is far larger. 70 to 80 percent are never reported.
I would think after the sixties and eighties, parents would just not waste their time. Parents are the biggest group challenging books. The books tend to not get banned or if they do get banned, kids can just go to a store or separate location to be exposed.
It just seems sad to me to even have this week. It is apparent that the freedom of speech amendment is infringed when we ban books. As parents it seems more reasonable, to just monitor what your kid is checking out from the library then to create a scene.
In our society these days, it is impossible to ban a book. If you ban it at one library, it does not include every library let alone book stores. Does throwing a fit to ban a book really make a difference?
Of course looking at the list of books that were challenged would make any lover of words depressed. Authors that have impacted society such as Maya Angelou and J.K. Rowling are on the list.
I guess I report this with sadness that we even need the week, but encourage those to stop by their library and show support by checking out one of those banned books!
Article submitted Monday, September 28, 2009 & read 938 times.
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