Controversial, Educational, and Powerful: Banned Books in 2025

Significant changes are affecting the future of American education and intellectual freedom following the inauguration of President Donald Trump on January 20, 2025. The source of the reason for these developments is Project 2025, a plan that focuses on reshaping education. This initiative has sparked widespread debate, particularly concerning its implications for book banning and censorship in schools and libraries. 

Project 2025 is a conservative policy blueprint designed to reform government institutions. It emphasizes the promotion of “traditional values” within public schools and public education. A key component of this initiative is the removal of material that has been deemed inappropriate or overly political from curriculums and libraries. Supporters of Project 2025 argue that this approach empowers parents and local communities to have greater control over educational content. However, critics express concerns that such measures could lead to increased censorship, particularly of books addressing topics such as race, gender, sexuality, historical events, and pressing societal issues. 

Book bannings have been scattered throughout the history of the United States and in recent years, books have been challenged more than ever. According to the American Library Association (ALA), 2023 saw a record number of challenges to books, many of which featured narratives centered around marginalized communities. Project 2025’s policies may further these bans, resulting in a limited educational environment that denies exposure to diverse perspectives. Recently, the Department of Education under President Trump eliminated the position of “book ban coordinator,” which is a position that helps define what books should be removed. The Trump administration dismissed numerous complaints from school districts regarding the removal of “sexually explicit” and “age-inappropriate” materials from public school libraries. The department emphasized the importance of control over public education, stating that decisions on educational materials should be made by parents and school boards without federal interference. 

To gain insight into the impact of these policies locally, several individuals, including local Needham High School staff and students and an author based in Needham, shared their opinions on banned books. 

One of the three reasons that books become banned, according to the American Library Association, is because the material in that book is “unsuited to any age group.” The 22nd most banned book in the United States is The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, which contains material that individuals may find sensitive or triggering. This novel follows the experiences of one of the “Handmaids” in a futuristic society where fertile women are treated as objects only useful for breeding purposes. Although the novel features graphic scenes involving rape and suicide, it is still imperative to teach this book in high schools because it exposes students to key real-world issues and encourages them to strive to mend those problems. Mr. Farnsworth, an English teacher at Needham High School, agrees with the importance of discussing controversial topics through books like The Handmaid’s Tale. He explains, “The ways it explores misogyny and patriarchy in society, I want to arm the young women in my classroom with some knowledge and ways of thinking about these issues before they head off to college.” After reading The Handmaid’s Tale and discussing it in Mr. Farnsworth's class, students felt that it was critical for them to be exposed to this novel and its complex themes surrounding misogyny. A poll asking Mr. Farnsworth’s students about their experiences reading The Handmaid’s Tale shows that 100% of students feel as though the novel should not be banned. Additionally, students reflected on the benefits of reading this book, sharing that “I don't think the content is something that should've been banned” and the material “is good to be exposed to.” Another student also shares how “People should be able to read what they want to read” and “Books like these can be insightful in giving perspectives that we may not have thought of before.” 

Mr. Farnsworth draws attention to the fact that books hold ideas and knowledge and that everyone should have access to those ideas: “I don’t believe that any person or any group gets to make the choice of what knowledge I chose to put in my head and what kind of ideas I get to think about.” Students are required to attend school in order to further their education; one of the most valuable ways to achieve this goal is by reading books that acquaint them with new ideas and concepts. While these ideas and themes may be challenging or uncomfortable to discuss, the value is that students, especially teenage students, have access to those tough-to-grasp concepts within “a safe environment for learning,” as Mr. Farnsworth puts it. 

Similarly, Braver Newer World is a class for seniors, wherein students spend their class time discussing books with difficult content such as abuse, racial inequality, and substance misuse. Some books that incorporate such themes are The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls, Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates, and There There by Tommy Orange. Ms. Cox, one of the co-teachers of the class, states, “I feel lucky to have the freedom to teach these books because I think they are important works that students engage in.” However, she also admitted that she could understand why books are banned: “I think part of the reason books are banned is to shelter or not expose students to types of terrible things that happen in the world...while I understand the subject matter can be difficult for some, I do think that the benefit of just hearing and being exposed to other people’s stories is profound.” She also believes that book bans aim to “...prevent a not so perfect picture of American History” because American citizens tend to take criticism of America and American history on a personal level. When asked about the curriculum for Braver Newer World and whether the class will run next year, she explained, “I really don’t know…the whole point of the course is to explore various aspects of our identities…to have these difficult conversations and to challenge our thinking and understanding of ourselves and the world around us…in pretty much every book we teach there is something that happens that is bannable.”

Sydney Rubin is a senior at Needham High School who devoted an entire year-long AP Capstone project to the topic of banned books. She shares about finding the right balance between allowing students to access age-appropriate materials while also giving them the freedom to explore topics that resonate with them: “Elementary schoolers should not have access to books with sexual themes, graphic violence, drugs/alcohol, and swears/slurs. However, middle and high school is a different story.” She talks about the difficulty of protecting children from sensitive topics, while also educating them about those same topics, deeming it “a hard line to walk…but…a balance that needs to exist to foster well-rounded, empathetic thinkers.” Sydney goes on to explain her project in more detail, stating that it focuses on using book banning as a way to further a political agenda: “Research has shown that the communities most likely to ban books are ones with increasingly precarious conservative majorities…as conservatives in these communities feel like their hold on their way of life is slipping, they move to more and more drastic measures to prevent their norm from slipping further.” Conservative groups frequently push for restrictions on books, laws, and policies such as those promoted in Project 2025 in an effort to give parents and local governments greater control over public school education and library materials. In recent years, Republican-led states like Florida and Texas have passed laws making it easier to challenge and remove books from schools and libraries. Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act (often referred to as the “Don’t Say Gay” law) has fueled efforts to restrict books on LGBTQ+ identities, while Texas has created lists of “inappropriate” books, including many that discuss racism, gender, and historical injustices. On the other hand, many democratic individuals see book bans as part of a broader effort to control the political and cultural narrative of America. With this in mind, Sydney argues against book bans, stating, “Genuinely, our generation and the generations to come are the voice of the future, and it is important to educate everyone on all sides of the political spectrum in order to allow kids to make decisions for themselves, and for their future.”

However, English teachers and students are not the only staff members who have insight into this issue. The librarians are surrounded by thousands of books daily, many of which are challenged or banned. NHS librarian Ms. Rowse refers to banned books as “the forbidden fruit” and explains that individuals, especially teenagers, are more inclined to read something after they are told they are not allowed to. Thus, is banning books even an effective method if many schools are still including them in the curriculum? Regardless, students who are exposed to books with challenging ideas are affected more positively than negatively. For instance, many students find a deep connection or outlet within the themes of these books, such as identity. Ms. Rowse explains how books can help struggling students: “Sometimes you have people who are struggling with their own identity … and are struggling with ‘is my feeling valid?’ … We’ve had many teens speak out, saying, ‘You can’t remove this book from this library because this book literally saved my life.’” 

Local author Jacqueline Davies, who has written books such as The Lemonade War and Sydney and Taylor, shared her opinion on banning books. As an author who mainly publishes books for children, she believes, “Every parent of an elementary-age child has the right to make decisions about what books their child reads, both inside the classroom and outside. But no parent has the right to decide what other people's children have the right to read. Denying access to books in public and school libraries (by outright banning or “soft” banning—making the books more difficult to check out) is equivalent to denying all children the right to read those books.” Children are young and are still developing, and one way they do so is through reading and learning. Especially when it comes to developing empathy, critical thinking skills, and finding their identities, reading a diverse selection of books can help this process. 

While many banned books are novels, some picture books have also made the list. One example of this is Where the Wild Things Are, a popular picture book about a rebellious boy who refuses to listen to instructions from his mother. Mr. Farnsworth's English 12 Accelerated class began the year by reading and analyzing this book. He reflects on the fact that this is a banned book: “If we're talking about the ludicrousness of banning books, I think that this is an even better example. My understanding of the reasons that book was banned was that it somewhat celebrates unruly behavior in children.” However, neglecting to learn about or be exposed to bad behavior does not protect children from ever acting in a way that is similar to Max, the protagonist. Forbidding individuals from reading books does not completely eliminate the presence of those ideas in society. Instead, reading and discussing books about these fundamental issues allows children and adults to expand their knowledge through effective analysis.

When Davies was asked how authors are affected when their books get banned, she responded that it hurts, especially when they hear “the ill-informed vitriol from book-banning groups who have not read the book, either in part or in whole, characterize the author's work as ‘pornographic,’ ‘disgusting,’ ‘dangerous,’ and ‘corrupting.’” Davies concludes that censorship and book bans are really about fear: “Because if they can do that, then we’ll end up doing their dirty work for them: writers won’t write challenging, beautiful, thoughtful, mind-and heart-expanding stories anymore. Librarians won’t dare to put such books on their shelves. Readers won’t have the courage to ask for them to be brought out from the backroom shelves where they’re hidden away. And then book banners won’t have to ban any more books, because we’ll ban them ourselves—by not writing them in the first place, by not adding them to the library’s collection, by not reading them.”

The conversation surrounding book bans and censorship is far from over. As Project 2025 and similar policies continue to shape the nation, it is essential to recognize that limiting access to literature is not just about removing books from shelves, but also about controlling the narratives that shape our society. By standing up for intellectual freedom, advocating for diverse perspectives, and encouraging discussion, communities can push back against censorship. The right to read is a fundamental pillar of education and democracy, and preserving it ensures that future generations will have the freedom to explore, question, and grow through literature.

For those interested, here is the list of banned books on the American Library Association’s Website.