In recent years, the issue of book banning has become more and more prevalent in America — and it’s talked about especially frequently within schools as of late.
Last year, a list of proposed books to ban was released among other plans referred to as “Project 2025.” This has sparked a newfound wave of resistance against the banning of books, one that’s supported immensely by BV librarian Caitlin Neneman.
“For me, every book is a representation of a different student in [the school],” Neneman said. “It’s very important for every student to have a mirror when they’re looking into a book.”
Many of the disputed banned books have centralized themes and stories around politics or individual identities, primarily that of people of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
“Unfortunately, a lot of the books that get banned are marginalized voices, and that’s a dangerous precedent to set that their voices don’t matter,” Neneman said. “There are so many studies about how reading novels develops empathy, and books are a great avenue to see a different perspective that you would never know otherwise.”
A primary worry over the increase of book bans within schools is the negative impacts it will have on the development of students who are now unable to read these books; however, Neneman foresees a possibility for this to have a “weird upside.”
“In Texas, when they banned ‘The Hate U Give,’ sales increased insurmountably because people were like, ‘Well, what does the government not want us to read?’” Neneman said.
The celebration of Banned Book Week has also grown within schools in efforts to combat the effects and likelihoods of books being banned from their libraries.
“We talk consistently about [students’] right to read, and we look at the reasoning behind why books have been challenged,” she said. “We’re [also] currently continuing to buy books that represent all people.”
Neneman sees the advocacy for book banning somewhat hypocritical, as there are other things available to children that have “a lot more inappropriate content.”
“There is not a big push for getting cell phones out of hands,” she said. “It’s a lot easier to put down a book if it makes you uncomfortable than it is to get off an algorithm that knows how to addict you on your phone. If a book makes you uncomfortable, don’t read it.”
Neneman believes the primary benefit of reading banned books — and therefore the greatest loss when these books are banned — is access to an experience and point of view that isn’t your own.
“There is value in finding out a different viewpoint,” she said. “It is your right to read — so if you want to read it, read it.”
