Book Banning Synthesis Essay

Book Banning Ethics The controversial topic of banning books has been considered in nearly every high school in America. Some schools actually are banning certain books in the current curriculum that are considered to be offensive to some people. Dr. Wes Scroggins, author of a document presented to the Republic School Board concerning context of textbooks and other curricular material, goes as far as to say that “requiring children to be exposed to this content at school is immoral. It is an abomination to God to expose children to this material and this content will never be a part of a moral education” (Scroggins). The “material” Scroggins refers to are the books Slaughterhouse Five, Speak, and Twenty Boy Summer. His hopes are that these books, along with any others that teach similar content, be removed from the English curriculum. One option Scroggins does not offer is simply to allow the books to be optional or leisure reading instead of completely banning the books. There are many, unlike Scroggins, who are opposed to the banning of books. In a heated discussion regarding the decision of school administrators in Indiana to pull Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon from the AP English curriculum, one participant in the debate brings up the point that this novel, although “difficult fiction”, teaches with historical context. He asks the question “Do you not trust your kids to be able to discern literature from reality?” (Quotes) in response to other participants’ opinions that this novel is too mature and inappropriate for the school environment and that by analyzing the novel in class it makes the school seem accepting of the vulgarities. According to a 2007 survey by the Pew Research for Center for the People and the Press, support for banning “books with dangerous ideas” from public school libraries has declined and has fallen to its lowest level of support in the last 20 years (Survey). I feel that no book should be banned from school just because of the content. Many of the books listed in Source F are most likely banned because of offensive or racist language, or dangerous or sexual situations. The books The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, for example, use the term “nigger” to show the historical diction used in that time, not to offend anyone. Potter Stewart’s quote “censorship reflects society’s lack of confidence in itself” is completely appropriate and true in this issue. I feel that some of society wants these books banned because they do not have the confidence in high school students to be mature and read with an analytic mind. The only thing that is accomplished by banning books is making them more appealing to teenagers. I do not think book banning is ever an appropriate action.