Do you actively seek to read books you know have been banned? Since it first launched in 1982, the American Library Association has designated one week (usually in late September or early October) as Banned Books Week to bring awareness to the number of books frequently challenged in school and libraries. A banned book is a book that had previously been accessible but was removed from circulation for being considered inappropriate for a variety of reasons. One reason commonly given for banning books is to keep children safe so they aren't exposed at an early age to what some consider offensive material and to not put ideologies into young brains. While many books are being banned with the intention of protecting children, it's important to understand the reasons books are challenged.

The American Library Association explains that the difference between a challenged book and a banned book is that a challenged book is "an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials" Libraries and school districts ban books due to violence, sexual content, offensive language, LGBTQIA+ content, racism, and political or religious messages in in order to protect children. The American Library Association reported a breaking record of demands to ban and censor library books and resources of 1,269. "There was also a 38% increase from the 1,858 unique titles targeted for censorship in 2021. Teachers College, Columbia University states that a lot of these books are written by or about people in the LGBTQIA+ community and people of color and are most often challenged or banned because of sexual content, LGBTQIA+ sexual content, offensive languages and racial issues.

It is important to note that although some schools have banned book lists, Park High School does not. Some people often think book banning can be a little extreme, for example a student from Park High School, Jevaeh Brooks, says, “I don't think its always fair to ban a bunch of books because a few people disagree with it, some of these books are worth at least getting another shot.” 

Book banning takes away a student's right for information. It not only affects the children who read these books, but the community as a whole. A key reason book banning affects the community is because it slowly eliminates the availability of diverse perspectives and ideas. Book banning can also create tension between people within the community, meaning that people debate what people should and shouldn't read. Book banning can also suppress free expression and restrict ability. Book banning limits what people can read and think about, which can hurt communities by suppressing dialogue and limiting understanding. In conclusion the act of banning books acts as a threat to the freedom and overall wellbeing of a community.

Banned Books Week took place from Oct. 5 - 11 this year with the theme "Censorship is So 1984. Read for Your Rights." Check out the American Library Association's site early next fall for the 2026 dates and theme.