A School's Shame: Why a Book Ban is a Loss for Future Generations
In September, Afghanistan took a drastic step to prevent immorality - it closed down the internet. The Taliban's move was part of a broader crackdown on books written by women and education for girls over 12 years old. This disturbing trend of restricting citizens' access to information has echoes in the UK, where some schools are banning books deemed "immoral".
One such case involves James Farquharson, a former Conservative councillor who objected to Angie Thomas's bestselling young adult novel The Hate U Give being taught at a school in Weymouth. While the book remains available in the library, its removal from classrooms has raised concerns about censorship and the potential impact on students.
The Hate U Give explores themes of racial injustice, police brutality, and activism through the eyes of a 16-year-old Black girl who witnesses the fatal shooting of her unarmed friend by a white police officer. Its messages are powerful and unflinching. The novel has sparked important discussions in classrooms across the country, helping young people understand difficult issues.
Meanwhile, another book under review at the same school is Pigeon English, which also deals with themes of social injustice and explores racism in modern Britain through its protagonist's experiences growing up on a council estate. Critics like Farquharson object to its profanity and depiction of violence. However, this seems to miss the point that Pigeon English aims to engage readers with difficult content.
When authors write about hard topics, they are not trying to traumatise young readers but to open their minds. By discussing these issues in a safe and guided environment, teachers can help students develop empathy, resilience and critical thinking skills.
Those who want to ban books often lack courage, it seems, preferring to avoid discomfort rather than confronting the complexities of life. As Caravaggio's Madonna di Loreto once challenged Rome with its depiction of dirty feet kneeling before Christ, so too should art challenge us by presenting humanity in all its messy and imperfect glory.
When I think about my own reading experiences as a teenager, there were always challenges - from discovering slavery in Huckleberry Finn to grappling with the meaning of Ulysses. These discomforts shaped me into an empathetic person who cares deeply for the world around me. The world needs more like me and more young people empowered by books that tackle tough subjects.
By banning books, we are stealing away our children's opportunities to grow into informed, compassionate, and engaged citizens.
In September, Afghanistan took a drastic step to prevent immorality - it closed down the internet. The Taliban's move was part of a broader crackdown on books written by women and education for girls over 12 years old. This disturbing trend of restricting citizens' access to information has echoes in the UK, where some schools are banning books deemed "immoral".
One such case involves James Farquharson, a former Conservative councillor who objected to Angie Thomas's bestselling young adult novel The Hate U Give being taught at a school in Weymouth. While the book remains available in the library, its removal from classrooms has raised concerns about censorship and the potential impact on students.
The Hate U Give explores themes of racial injustice, police brutality, and activism through the eyes of a 16-year-old Black girl who witnesses the fatal shooting of her unarmed friend by a white police officer. Its messages are powerful and unflinching. The novel has sparked important discussions in classrooms across the country, helping young people understand difficult issues.
Meanwhile, another book under review at the same school is Pigeon English, which also deals with themes of social injustice and explores racism in modern Britain through its protagonist's experiences growing up on a council estate. Critics like Farquharson object to its profanity and depiction of violence. However, this seems to miss the point that Pigeon English aims to engage readers with difficult content.
When authors write about hard topics, they are not trying to traumatise young readers but to open their minds. By discussing these issues in a safe and guided environment, teachers can help students develop empathy, resilience and critical thinking skills.
Those who want to ban books often lack courage, it seems, preferring to avoid discomfort rather than confronting the complexities of life. As Caravaggio's Madonna di Loreto once challenged Rome with its depiction of dirty feet kneeling before Christ, so too should art challenge us by presenting humanity in all its messy and imperfect glory.
When I think about my own reading experiences as a teenager, there were always challenges - from discovering slavery in Huckleberry Finn to grappling with the meaning of Ulysses. These discomforts shaped me into an empathetic person who cares deeply for the world around me. The world needs more like me and more young people empowered by books that tackle tough subjects.
By banning books, we are stealing away our children's opportunities to grow into informed, compassionate, and engaged citizens.
can you imagine a world where we dont have books that challenge us? i think its so important for kids to be exposed to different perspectives and difficult topics in a safe environment. its not about traumatizing them but about helping them develop critical thinking skills and empathy. those who want to ban books are missing the point, imo
they're basically trying to stifle the next gen from learning about real life issues... like what's the point of even teaching english literature if not to help ppl understand the world around them? 
those 'objections' from parents are just a bunch of old folks being uncomfortable with stuff they don't understand 
my fave books as a teen were all about tackling tough subjects and pushing boundaries... like, if we're not talking about racism/sexism etc in schools then how r we gonna fix the world? 
like, schools should be about exploring complex issues not shielding them from reality 
The Taliban banning internet? that's on a whole different level 
but banning books in the UK? not cool at all 
gotta respect kids' ability to handle some tough stuff 
. I'm all for free speech & reading books that challenge our perspectives 
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newsflash: life isn't all rainbows & unicorns 
it's messy, it's hard, but that's where we learn to navigate thru it 
it was like they were in sync or something! the dog would jump up and catch the disc mid-air, and then just wag its tail like "yaaas, I got this!"