Questions and Topics to Explore for Banned Books Week

In the United States, it can be easy to assume that censorship is something that doesn't happen here. It is something sinister and shady that only happens in other places or at other times untouched by such protections as the First Amendment. However, Banned Books Week is a time to remind us that censorship is an all-too-real threat here and now. When I teach my education students (and when I taught high school), I like to use Banned Books Week as an entry point for us to discuss some difficult concepts and questions. For my English education students, the issue of banned or challenged books is an all-too-real threat, and this gives them the chance to discuss and think through their conceptions and concerns. For my other students, this provides us the opportunity to think about curriculum and the potential controversies that might exist in their subject areas. The questions and issues we consider might include:

• What constitutes a ban or a challenge? What is the difference between the two? 
• Why might books be banned or challenged? Do these reasons justify the actions people take to prevent others from having access?
• Who gets to decide what people read? (There was an excellent article on this topic by The Atlantic earlier this month.)
• Should a single individual’s complaint (or the complaint from a small group of people) be the deciding factor on whether or not a larger group has access to a book? Why or why not?
• Do children and teenagers need more protection from harmful influences than adults do?
• Is there a double-standard when it comes to banning or challenging books?
• Is banning or challenging books effective when it comes to protecting readers? Why or why not?
• Given the reality of bans and challenges, what can and should teachers do when including potentially contentious topics in the curriculum?
• What should teachers do if a book or topic is challenged?

Although the first question has a clear-cut answer, the others are more ambiguous and could be answered in any number of ways. For instance, while many people have a knee-jerk reaction when they hear about a challenge or a ban, there are often many different sides to the issue that have merit. Furthermore, the questions address some of the more important and provocative facets of the issue. For instance, the tension can exist between parents’ rights and teachers’ and librarians’ prerogatives is something that can and should be explored and considered from different points of view. Finally, this gives students a chance to think about a problem they could face in the classroom before they actually have to contend with it, thus allowing them to think the issue through without the stress of having to immediately respond to a situation.

Are you doing anything to celebrate Banned Books Week in your classroom? I’d love to hear about your ideas and your reasons for discussing banned books with your students!