In the roiling debate over parental control of school libraries, here’s a better way
The debate over whether parents should have veto power over which books are available in Texas public schools has picked up steam this last year. Censoring books is a hot topic. A close look at the books in question raises an even more important issue: Whatever happened to kids reading classic literature?
In December, the National Coalition Against Censorship featured a post about Keller ISD. The group’s issue was that the district had decided to remove books from school library shelves based on complaints, even before a formal review had taken place, contrary to Keller ISD’s written policy.
A few days ago, NBC News ran a lengthy story listing the 50 books parents had most-often requested to remove from school libraries. While the outlet frames the story as if parents are trying to ban books in droves in Texas, that’s not quite the case.
NBC News sent public records requests to 100 school districts in major regions throughout Texas and only found, among 1,250 public school systems, “86 formal requests to remove books from libraries last year.” There were multiple requests to remove books from Keller ISD libraries.
Of the 50 books, more than half featured sexual themes of some kind, whether gay, straight or transgender. “Panic,” by Sharon Draper and “Jack of Hearts (and Other Parts),” by L.C. Rosen, was banned from the Keller ISD libraries and featured in the NBC News story. It’s about a 17 year-old gay student “who has a lot of sex and isn’t ashamed of it.”
Ditto with “Flamer,” by Mike Curato, a graphic novel featuring a boy wrestling with his sexuality at summer camp. “Gender Queer,” by Maia Kobabe also made the list. The illustrated memoir written by a nonbinary author “includes sexually explicit cartoon images.”
Whether young people or their parents believe they are mature enough for the information or not, it’s not the school’s role to suggest or force young people to read graphic sexual content —gay or straight — but especially stories featuring violence. It’s understandable parents would question why books with these themes are available to young people.
Still, the road to censoring books is fraught with landmines: Books featuring pivotal historical events like the Holocaust, however awful, are an important sector of available literature. That said, sometimes books about those events will feature graphic scenes depicting sexual violence as a way to demonstrate evil in many forms. Should a book like that be censored, then?
One way to step around the landmines of censorship might be to reframe the concepts around literature in schools. To what good end does a book featuring molestation or date rape serve a middle or high school child? Since when was it a public school’s responsibility to teach a child how to navigate his or her sexuality?
During an era when reading scores have been plummeting, there are two competing strains of thought: Get children to read anything and if children are going to read, ensure the literature is quality.
As a mother of four who home-schooled and then placed my children in public schools, I’ve had mixed opinions on this over the years. While I used to be glad my children were reading at all, I’ve shifted and now err more on the side of advocating for quality literature.
To be sure, some public schools assign occasional classic works. My ninth-grade son recently read “Of Mice and Men.” But this seems to be the exception rather than the rule. Why don’t school libraries and English and literature classes focus on the classic canon widely available?
This not only weeds out a good bit of offensive material (not all but most), expands a child’s vocabulary, provides a glimpse into historical context — including politics and socioeconomic issues — and will naturally improve a child’s ability to analyze literature for themes.
Contrary to popular belief, a teenager doesn’t need to read about a fictional teen struggling with their sexuality or being raped to feel less alone or better understand these issues. Sensitive topics are best left to parents to raise in a way they see fit. Or, when they’re adults, they can choose to read about whatever they want. School libraries do not need to compete for the title of Most En Vogue.
It is a school’s job to educate, prepare and inform. Assigning children the canon of classic literature accomplishes this. School libraries should seek to educate children with the best literature available. Do this and the outcry for censorship will lessen as children’s education improves.
This story was originally published February 4, 2022 at 1:27 PM.
