From the times of the Civil War to now, the United States has faced the censorship of banned curriculum within schools and states. Banned curriculum is when states changed their school or state laws to ban certain topics that challenged traditional values. These topics could consist of slavery, racism, sexism, LGBTQ, certain religions, and sex education. This is relevant because it affects the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights. The First Amendment was created so every citizen has the right to free speech, religion, and expressing themselves but without hurting others. In civics, it is important to recognize those banned curriculums because of its repercussions to the Bill of Rights, more specifically, the First Amendment (Library Guides).
Banned curriculum is the removal of topics in educational systems because those topics challenge traditional values. For example: slavery, racism, sexism, LGBTQ, certain religions, and sex education, and evolution topics have been cut from being talked about in specific states. This happens because every state has a different government system and has control of their own educational systems. Certain books and topics will be banned in some states, but not in all. Banned curriculum happens by book banning, state ban laws, and uncovered topic material in schools. This issue not only affects human rights, but further isolates marginalized populations and affects its country by not letting all citizens be informed on information. America is known for having a diverse melting pot of many different cultures and people. Statistically speaking, there are 60.1% White people, 18.5% Hispanic people, 12.2% Black people, 5.6% Asian people, 2.8% multiple races, and 0.9% Native Hawaiian/Native American people (World Economic Forum). Gender differences and sexism has had their issues of inequality and it shows in their income and their daily lives. These are just two occurring examples, but banning education to inform these minorities discriminates against them because it provides them with little to no knowledge about their cultures or issues . If banning information from people continues, there could become a bigger ban of topics and people may become even more ignorant to those issues surrounding them.
Some events and issues today take on the topics of sex education, LGBTQ, higher-order thinking skills, social justice, sexism, racism, and various left-wing political philosophies being censored in the US. This is shown in Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” and “Don’t Say They” Laws. In the spring season of 2022, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the law HB 1557, referred to as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which took effect on July 1, 2022. This was to prohibit the classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in certain grade levels or in a specified manner (nea.org).
Banned books is a way banning curriculum is depicted (Team, E). Today there's many ways to fight it. With the help of local libraries, you can fight it too. The American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom pushes the boundaries of censored knowledge by creating book challenges (Get Involved). Staying informed is a way to stand the ban. Other ways people can participate in being informed are attending a Banned Books Week program, participating in the Stand for the Banned Virtual Read-out, submitting content that can address the censorship and banned books to the Intellectual Freedom Blog, and most importantly speaking out. The Office for Intellectual Freedom is a way some libraries may help with the ban, but there are many others. Contact your local library to become more immersed in the knowledge!
The benefits for banned curriculum are the states being able to control what is taught in educational institutions. It’s more of a benefit for their government and their control, but as a citizen it is discrimination towards those topics as they have limited knowledge.
Limitations are that knowledge to their community, specific topics, and discrimination. Topics that challenge the typical standards today are LGBTQ, racism, and sexism. There's a Florida ban law for LGBTQ and in many states there are bans on racism and sexism. This can be seen in books, television shows, schooling, and all media (Policy Spotlight).
Setbacks are that people won’t be able to learn about these topics. It invalidates those individuals because it’s then painted as though they are a banned topic and shouldn’t be seen- that they are wrong and shouldn’t be able to learn/have the knowledge about said topics. If a banned curriculum ceases to exist, they will be able to learn more about their culture and people would not view others differently.
Banned curriculum is important because it is just as relevant as any other topic in school, and if anything it is more important because the topic has been censored for a reason. Individuals should learn more about banned curriculum because they will be able to grow and increase their civic engagement participation by learning more about other cultures, how other people may think, things about themselves, etc. They will be able to make more informed worldly decisions from learning these topics. While it's good banned curriculum exists because that means states have control of what they want, this also creates issues within discrimination and ignorance. What do you think, should there still be a banned curriculum?
Works Cited
Get involved. American Library Association. (n.d.). https://www.ala.org/bbooks/bannedbooksweek/ideasandresources/activity#:~:text=Write%20letters%20to%20the%20editor,Check%20out%20a%20banned%20book.
Library guides: Curriculum center & curriculum collections: Censorship & book bans. Censorship & Book Bans - Curriculum Center & Curriculum Collections - Library Guides at UW-La Crosse -. (n.d.). https://libguides.uwlax.edu/c.php?g=1027701&p=7905478
Policy spotlight: Curriculum censorship & hostile school climate bills infographics. Movement Advancement Project | Policy Spotlight: Curriculum Censorship & Hostile School Climate Bills Infographics. (n.d.). https://www.lgbtmap.org/policy-and-issue-analysis/2022-spotlight-school-bills-report-infographics
Sexism is bad for the economy. World Economic Forum. (n.d.). https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/09/sexism-gender-economy-united-nations-charts/
Team, E. (2022, May 13). Why book banning is bad: Representation matters - publish your purpose. Publish Your Purpose -. https://publishyourpurpose.com/blog/why-book-banning-bad/#:~:text=Book%20Banning%20Further%20Isolates%20Marginalized,populations%20meant%20to%20consume%20them
What you need to know about Florida’s “Don’t say gay” ... (n.d.). https://www.nea.org/sites/default/files/2023-06/30424-know-your-rights_web_v4.pdf