There Are No Winners When Books Are Banned
It is not harmful to a child’s psyche to be puzzled by the world. In fact, it is expected. It is normal. Their fears, their disappointments, their prejudices, their confusion; this swirl of emotions is part of the privilege, part of the journey of a child’s coming of age.
When my son was small and I read to him the Grimm Brother’s Fairy Tales, especially the darker ones, I was criticized for reading them before he was ready to assimilate them.
Absolute nonsense. That is exactly what he needed in order to assimilate the big fears and moral conundrums of life. The child processes by way of story and myth and if we ban books because the content is offensive to the adult, then we deprive the child an opportunity to make his own decisions. We impede his chance to develop critical thinking skills.
Of course it is essential the adult be with the child, there to answer questions, to create an environment of safety, to encourage compassion and moral judgment; to assist with these challenges.
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee is banned in many school libraries and classrooms across America. In my opinion, one of the best books written Lee exposes the South where I grew up. In a brilliantly told story we must wrestle with class divisions, poverty, loneliness, and racism.
The book is accused of explicit scenes of violence and the use of words that should be offensive to everyone but are spoken, nonetheless. To have asked Harper to write a book without any of these expressions is like asking a pianist to play a piano concerto with no piano.
Reading with a child is one of the most satisfying activities I know. Their impressions and their questions always surprise me. Within this surprise is the chance to talk about morality and what it is and why it is hurtful to say ugly words or make fun of others because they may not be like you or live a lifestyle like you. The books that are banned offer us this great opportunity. Take it, parents. Don’t miss it, teachers. Otherwise, there is a landscape of dis/misinformation called the internet; it’s all available there but without care or guidance. This is harmful.
One of my fondest memories was reading in class. Of course, in the 1960’s, we utilized the entire 6 weeks on one book, and we learned about grammar, spelling, character, judgment, morality, and empathy.
Don’t send your children to the streets to bond with the internet – READ TOGETHER. READ OFTEN.