On Book Banning

I have frequently thought about my future classroom library – What books will I offer? How will I organize the different genres? Will there be a checkout system? What will it look like? Where will it be? – and I have found that my biggest questions and concerns lie with the practice of book banning. With so many important works being contested and banned from schools, how will I create a diverse classroom library filled with important works that students need to be exposed to? Books are such an important resource for students to learn about themselves as well as the world. Books build empathy, while also helping students to not feel alone in their struggles. By taking these books away from kids, we are taking away their opportunity to see themselves in literature; we are taking away their resources. Books are often banned for certain subjects they suggest that are considered too heavy for youth. However, many students are already learning about or experiencing these heavy subjects, and books about those things become resources to help students with the difficult things they are experiencing. It is important to do our best to combat book banning and provide students with the opportunity to engage with these important books.