They Already Know

Spectator

It’s been another year of efforts to ban books from public or school libraries or, at the very least, move them to a place that makes it harder to find them. All in the name of protecting our delicate children from the ravages of literature with controversial topics and language.

We recently had a reminder in Bellaire where some were complaining about the presence of a graphic novel (basically a novel in a comic strip/comic book format) in which there is an actual—gasp!—gay couple. It’s not the primary focus of the novel, and there is nothing explicit to merit concern, mind you, but we had to listen to the old canards about “indoctrination” as if the mere existence of a gay couple in a novel was somehow dangerous to our children.

What utter and complete nonsense.

At least the book banners have a certain consistency to them, or used to. According to the American Library Association (ALA), 1984 by George Orwell is once again the book title most requested to be banned or restricted. It has been number one on the censors' hit list almost since the day it was published in 1949. It is, the book-banners insist, too negative, subversive, pro-communist, contains sexual content, etc., etc. Over the decades it has been banned in more than 100 American cities and twice as many schools. The ALA says 1984 is the most banned book ever in the U.S. and the world, but hardly the only target.

Huckleberry Finn always makes the top 10 list of most banned books because it has that n-word used frequently as part of a character’s name. But rather than let skilled teachers explain why the word was used at that time, what it meant then, why we consider it so offensive today, and what about that character’s relationship with Huck was unique to American literature at the time…nah, we’ll just ban the book or, even worse, rewrite any offending passages.

Also almost always on the shameful banned list are JD Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Alice Walker’s seminal The Color Purple, and pretty much anything written by James Baldwin or Maya Angelou. In the last decade, the focus of the banners has shifted to literature that focuses, or even touches on, racial or LGBTQ+ issues. Language and sexual situations still rank highest in complaints, but anything racial or involving “non-traditional” relationships is catching up quickly.

There are about 9,000 libraries in the U.S. with more than 17,000 branches. Last year according to the ALA, which keeps track of these things, there were an astonishing 4,240 individual book titles challenged, and libraries are on pace for about the same this year.

The major change has been the dramatic, organized challenges against books at public libraries, a 92 percent increase versus challenges in school libraries. Overall, about 46 percent of the challenges now involve books in public libraries and 54 percent books in school libraries.

Most public libraries have been honorably steadfast in their determination to avoid banning or censoring much of anything. Patrons decide what is and is not appropriate for their own and their family’s sensibilities and literary tastes. School libraries require a somewhat more delicate balance. They deal with a captive audience that may include very young children and reasonably sophisticated young adults. What is appropriate for one may not be for the other.

Alas, there is some bad news for parents who think they are protecting their adolescent children from uncomfortable literary subjects—your kids already know. They are already exposed to bad language (maybe at home) and there is scant evidence that reading about race or sexual orientation offends or upsets them. They have gay friends or friends with same sex parents or gay siblings or relatives. They have likely been exposed to different races, religions, and ethnicities.

And according to Pew Research Center’s study with students in grades 8-12, today’s teens are far more accepting of sexual orientation than are their parents’ generation. They are also more comfortable discussing racial issues and expect young adult literature to reflect their experiences.

Perhaps the students could sit with the overly concerned adults and reassure them it’s going to be all right. It’s just a good book, not a diabolical plot to indoctrinate them; be thankful they’re readers. And there is plenty of young adult literature with “traditional” boy-girl physical relationships, so relax.

Literature written for adolescents reflects their reality, so the mandatory angst might be about violence or sex or same-sex relationships. Kids reading it are unlikely to be shocked.

In reality, parental concerns about library books are sadly misplaced. Your children can find much, much more dangerous content in seconds with a couple of keystrokes on their computers or phones.

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