An article in the News-Leader recently caught my eye as controversy has divided an area high school over whether or not to remove certain books from the school library. As we will be covering a novel frequently banned later this school year, I thought I would ask your opinion about it. Please visit Mrs. Schreffler's blogsite http://schreffblog.blogspot.com/, read the entry entitled "Banning Books! Are You Crazy?!" Then post a comment here describing your opinion of book banning. BE SURE to come back here to post as I do not grade postings on Mrs. Schreffler's site! :)The fact is that censorship always defeats its own purpose, for it creates, in the end, the kind of society that is incapable of exercising real discretion. ~Henry Steele Commager
In my opinion yes if you are offended put the book down!! What if it goes against your religion,wouldent you want it banned? If it has stuff that is wrong in it don't read it, but don't bann it.Some people are so self centered.
ReplyDeleteWhat I think of school banning books is horrible but incredible at the same time. I don't think the government should ban all books in the library because some kids like to read...but a whole bunch don't. I'm glad that they would ban books because I hate it when teachers make us read a book (entire book) for a book report. But that would also not be fair to the people that enjoy reading.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that schools should be able to ban books because if somebody thinks the book is too bad then they don't have to read it. There are a lot of books in the library and students don't have to pick the bad ones.
ReplyDeleteif censorship defeats its own purpose (thats irony that means i should get bonus!!!!!) then theres no moral meaning.
ReplyDeleteI think that all books should be kept in schools librarys except for bibles. Personly that is what i think because i think that school and religion should be seprate. (And some people might say that goes against freedom of religion) .Unless all books of religion are in the school library. But other than that i think all books should be kept in school librarys. Because i think if schools protect the students to much it will comeback to bite them later in life. But that is just my opinion
ReplyDeletewell if you dont want someone to read a book and get smarter thats your own thing but you dont need to make it to ware noone who wants to can read i.
ReplyDeleteSome great thoughts going on here, everyone! I finally printed out my new grading sheet so I have several thoughts to respond to!!
ReplyDeleteRiku, it seems like you WOULD want things banned if they were against your religion, but ... then you have to decide which religion gets to decide which books to ban and BAM--we're right back to limiting the religious freedoms this country was founded upon. Also remember that the Bible, the Torah, and the Qur'an have also been banned many times in various places throughout the world. It seems that almost more controversy comes after the bans begin than before!
Yeah_Boi,so you're not necessarily for banning books--just being forced to read them?!! Read enough of them and soon you'll be ... getting ideas ... thinking ... where will it end?! Hey, how about just banning homework? I'd be all for that too if we could ever get a little something accomplished DURING class!! For now, at least we can dream! :D
Bob the Builder, nice one with the irony. But you are STILL going to have to start responding to the prompts, not just the quotes!!
And sky sky, I did a quick search in our library and found it carries the Bible, the Koran, and a variety of books on Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Shinto, Taoism and I quit searching after that. Being a school library, they need to have references from cultures from around the world and religion is a huge part of those cultures. I see what you are saying about maintaining that separation of church and state--or church and school in this case, but it just isn't very practical in an educational research environment.
Like I said, some great thoughts so far! Feel free to respond back with more thoughts or questions--we have an open discussion forum here!! And blogging more than once on any entry never hurt anybody's grade!! ;)
I think that baning books is not something that should not be done. It doesn't give students the full opertunity to exlpore the world of books. You sholudn't take a fiction book too serious.
ReplyDeleteI don't think they should ban certian books. But, if the people complaining have a problem with the content of the books. Then, they shouldn't read them. It's our choice to read books with those terms, if we want. It's not their choice what we read. So, banning books is a bad idea.
ReplyDeleteChristianity is one of the main religions in the U.S. so with all due respect I believe there should be a bible for people, like me, who are of that particular religion but I do agree that if they have the bible in the librarys they might as well have other books so know one gets offended.
ReplyDeleteANYWAY. I don't thing that banning books is right either. I agree that there are plety other books to read so if you don't like the one you are reading get a new one! Also some people may enjoy reading subjects that involve...inappropriate things...I guess
I think that if they should be able to ban books. I think that they should be able to ban them because if they feel that the book should be then itit probably should. I also don't think that they should have books in libraries that could even cause issues
ReplyDeleteYay wings12! Way to offer another opinion and stir the pot a little!! But as to not having books that could even cause issues? Good luck with that! People can cause controversy over ANYTHING!! And they generally do. That is the way of the world.
ReplyDeleteI think that banning of books is unfair to students who aren't offended by things found unappropriate to others. Some of the best literature is found "inappropriate" to some. I believe that you should have the choice to read thm or not to read them. If you don't like it, don't read it. Let everyone else who don't mind to read them, read them.
ReplyDeleteI think whether a school should band books or nor depends on the age of the readers at the school but i think that in high school or collage there shouldn't be any banning or limit of books because that is the time in a persons life where there open for anything and there lives will be determined.
ReplyDeletewell i agree. if its something that you are against then just dont read it. if its graphic dont look at it. to bann certain book would be ridiculus. why is the book inside the libray in the first place if is so badd??? maybe next time the libary should watch what they buy?
ReplyDeleteI dont think they should be able to ban any books, because its not like any person actually has to read them. What might be offending to someone, could be interesting to read for someone else. Besides, its a book so you shouldnt let that affect the way you live your life, or see things.
ReplyDeletethere is many different ways that you could argue this. I think it is ok for schools to bann books if they want to. You could also argue that they should not ban books. I could agree with either side.
ReplyDeleteThere are many different ways that u can argue about this topic. If you are against something then dont read it but dont take the privledge away from other people of reading books that other people like. DONT READ THEM IF UR OFFENDED BY THEM. ILY MRS. SNOW:)
ReplyDeletei think that that is taking away freedom of speech and people have to let kids have controvercy, they cant be sheltered forever mor so, older kids.
ReplyDeleteI dont think there is any need what so ever to band books from school libraries. Eventually, wheather you are at the grocery store waiting in line glancing at the magazines or in a public library, you may be offended by something. No one is forcing you to read any of this literature. It may be interesting for another reader.
ReplyDeleteWhy would you ban books?! I mean I don't read a lot, but that's just silly. They were written for the public to see, if they weren't suppost to be seen by the public then they shouldn't have opened their big mouth and gotten it published! Yeah I mean some romance books for older people, THOSE BOOKS Should be banned from a library :)
ReplyDeleteI do no think it would be a good idea to ban "innapropriate" books. Students should be able to have a more wide selection of books. This would make students book selection smaller
ReplyDeleteThe banning of books from children is idiotic, and un-needed. Short, simple and sweet.
ReplyDeletei think that some books should be banned based on the age level of the book. i think this because kids don't need to learn of the bad things going on in this world.expecialy if they are young and have a high reading level because then they will read worse stuff.
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