Censorship of Literature
Censorship of Literature on Students
“The child who is taught nothing of his or her country’s cultural, political, and intellectual heritage must be pitied as much as the child who is compelled to conform on all respects to conventional wisdom” (Riechman 5). Throughout the centuries, literature has been censored because it has been accused of being inappropriate or promoting religious or racial ideals. Parents, school districts, and school board members believe that these subjects shouldn’t be taught to students in junior high or high school for the reason that they see students as children that do not need to be informed of such matters; however, this course of action has limited the ability of students to learn from and form opinions on texts. Censorship of literature in schools effects how students will learn in college and in everyday life, limits their exposure to different types and styles of writing, and is a violation of the United States Constitution. If certain pieces of literature are banned or censored in schools, it will hinder the students’ ability to use the knowledge from those texts in college. Some might say that these restricted works or books with similar ideas and themes might be read in college. Although it may be true, colleges expect their students to be familiar with controversial texts, such as The Scarlet Letter, or their themes. If books are not available to students in high school, it creates obstacles that hinders their opportunity to do well in college and makes courses harder than they need to be. Another reason that it is important for students to be familiar with censored literature before they enter college is that professors expect them to be able to identify time periods and explain historical events that take place in these novels as well as analyze why the author wrote his book in relation to the era and happenings. Middle and high schools are meant to prepare its students for college through presenting them with scenarios
“The child who is taught nothing of his or her country’s cultural, political, and intellectual heritage must be pitied as much as the child who is compelled to conform on all respects to conventional wisdom” (Riechman 5). Throughout the centuries, literature has been censored because it has been accused of being inappropriate or promoting religious or racial ideals. Parents, school districts, and school board members believe that these subjects shouldn’t be taught to students in junior high or high school for the reason that they see students as children that do not need to be informed of such matters; however, this course of action has limited the ability of students to learn from and form opinions on texts. Censorship of literature in schools effects how students will learn in college and in everyday life, limits their exposure to different types and styles of writing, and is a violation of the United States Constitution. If certain pieces of literature are banned or censored in schools, it will hinder the students’ ability to use the knowledge from those texts in college. Some might say that these restricted works or books with similar ideas and themes might be read in college. Although it may be true, colleges expect their students to be familiar with controversial texts, such as The Scarlet Letter, or their themes. If books are not available to students in high school, it creates obstacles that hinders their opportunity to do well in college and makes courses harder than they need to be. Another reason that it is important for students to be familiar with censored literature before they enter college is that professors expect them to be able to identify time periods and explain historical events that take place in these novels as well as analyze why the author wrote his book in relation to the era and happenings. Middle and high schools are meant to prepare its students for college through presenting them with scenarios