On banning books and other absurdities

Next week is the American Library Association's banned books week; an event that is designed to highlight just how often books are still challenged or outright banned in this country as well as to celebrate our right to read.  In the next few days I will share with you some of the absurd reasons books have been challenged or banned in this country.

First up is The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank.  "In 1983, four members of the Alabama Textbook Commission wanted to reject the title for use in the schools because it was 'a real downer.'" (Karolides, Bald & Sova, 2005). Another reason the book has been challenged have been because a parent objected "to the discussion of 'the mistreatment of the Jewish people.'" (Karolides, Bald & Sova, 2005). Yes, that's right, someone objected to a Jewish girl recording the mistreatment she and others endured before perishing in the Holocaust simply because they were Jewish. Finally, in 1982 parents in Wise County, Virginia, challenged the book because Anne's criticism on her mother "undermines adult authority." (Karolides, Bald & Sova, 2005). A teen aged girl complained about her mother in her private diary. Oh no. What a shocking and terrible thing! (Where is a sarcasm font when you need one?)

Now, both of the dates of these challenges were quite a long time ago. This does not mean challenges have stopped. On the contrary, while Banned Books Week was started in 1982 due to an uptick in challenges at libraries, schools and bookstores, (www.bannedbooksweek.org) banners are still hard at work, getting offended over the slightest provocation.  Interestingly enough books with diverse characters have been the most recent target of challenges with nine of the top ten most challenged books for 2015-2016 having diverse content and eight six of the top one hundred also having diverse content.  (www.ala.org) What do we mean by diverse content? Written and/or about people of color, LGBT people, people with disabilities or a combination of these. 

Stay tuned for some more interesting facts about banned books and check out the ALA's webpage on banned books for more information and what you can do to prevent book challenges turning into bans (the removal of the challenged item). ALA Banned Books