Some good news came out of Texas. That might be shocking cause news and Texas are things that are almost always something bad. The Texas Library Association is fighting back against book banning in the state with the formation of a grassroots coalition Texans for the Right to Read.
Battle To UnBan Books
The coalition wants to “amplify and unify the voices of librarians, educators, parents, students, authors, and others” who oppose the banning of books from schools and libraries throughout Texas.
My first thought was Texas has a library association?! The battle to ban books has taken over Texas as well as numerous other states. This is a continuation of the battle of conservatives versus liberals on a new battleground. And it is pretty bad.
The Texas Library Association is going to try to educate the public as well as work to oppose any “legislation, regulations, or executive orders” that attack the freedom to read what you want.
Many of the books that are being banned are books that discuss race, the LGBTQ issue, and many others. Books that have bad words are also getting banned. An assistant principal got fired because the book he read to the children had the word “butt” in it.
There is a joke there somewhere about not butting in but I’m too frustrated to make it. My issue is that this has nothing to do with the books and all about the politics. Fox News has been pushing this narrative that books are poisoning the youth’s minds and suddenly, parents started making a big deal during debates.
You know what would solve this problem? The parents that are so opposed against these books took the time to sit down and actually sit down and read the novels. That way they would actually know what they are protesting instead of repeating something they read or heard on the internet.
What’s At Stake
The Texas Library Association president said in a statement that “The right to receive an education is something that is foundational to America. Possibly the most important skill students learn is how to develop a curious mind and think critically about a broad spectrum of subjects. Removing books based on the subjective opinions of elected officials has no place in our state or our democratic republic.”
And he is right. That is what books are supposed to help children do. Think critically. If you “protect” them from books that tackle uncomfortable subjects, then how will these children learn about anything that isn’t in their orbit. Books help people empathize and teaches them a lot of valuable life lessons.
But that is pointless to even say because the parents don’t care about their children’s reading curriculum. They just want to stick it to those darn liberals. That will show them.
As politics takes over every facet of life, everyday things get caught in the middle. Books have always faced opposition for thousands of years. The people that ban them always seem to be on the wrong side of history. Let’s just hope that things correct themselves or any book will be banned with the low standard that seems to have arose.
Conclusion
I hope the Texas Library Association succeeds in their uphill battle. Texas is a conservative state that is is led by a horrible governor. He is hell-bent on banning books and it is going to take everything to correct the wrongs that are happening.
Oh wow 😯
As a teacher and book lover, I’m always horrified at the thought of people trying to ban books. I agree with you that these people probably haven’t even read the books they’re trying to ban, which is even more disheartening.
Yea. There’s zero common sense involved. Hopefully the organizations that oppose these bans can take it to court and overturn it
Some of the biggest book burnings happened in Nazi Germany.
Yep.
As soon as my son could read I made sure that the book list included books that I felt would be banned , To kill a mockingbird, Tom sawyer, 1984, Fahrenheit 451, etc… I am glad I did. Not only did I ensure that he had read the classics, but he would not be deprived of the knowledge.
Great choices!