Why are books banned in the US?

Those advocating a ban complain typically that the book in question contains graphic violence, expresses disrespect for parents and family, is sexually explicit, exalts evil, lacks literary merit, is unsuitable for a particular age group, or includes offensive language.

Why are books getting banned in the US?

About 41 percent of the banned titles explicitly address LGBTQ themes, making these the biggest target of the bans. Books involving sexual content—such as stories about teen pregnancy, sexual assault and abortion—account for 22 percent of the titles.

What is the 1 most banned book in America?

1. "Gender Queer: A Memoir," by Maia Kobabe. The most banned book of the 2021-2022 school year was "Gender Queer: A Memoir" by Maia Kobabe. It was removed from school libraries and/or classroom bookshelves on 41 separate instances, according to PEN America.

Can the US legally ban books?

Fortunately, the First Amendment protects Americans from an outright banning of books by the U.S. government, but each year many books are “challenged” and taken to court to prevent schools or libraries from carrying the titles.

Why are books being banned in 2022?

Books about LGBTQ characters and people of color were disproportionately challenged or banned. Forty-one percent of all books banned from July 2021 to June 2022 were about LGBTQ characters, PEN America found.

The Books Getting Banned From Schools

Why was Charlotte's Web banned?

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

Due to themes of death and the fact that the main characters are talking animals, a parent group in Kansas sought to ban the book from their students' school libraries.

Why is Harry Potter banned?

In fact, when Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was first published, many parents and teachers did not want this book in their schools, homes, or libraries. At. All. The book promoted “witchcraft, the occult, and anti-family themes” just to name a few.

When did the US start to ban books?

Book Banning in the United States and Beyond

Book banning is nothing new. In fact, it has been around for centuries. What is considered the first book ban in the United States took place in 1637 in what is now known as Quincy, Massachusetts.

Does banning books violate First Amendment?

The right to speak and the right to publish under the First Amendment has been interpreted widely to protect individuals and society from government attempts to suppress ideas and information, and to forbid government censorship of books, magazines, and newspapers as well as art, film, music and materials on the ...

Who decides if a book is banned?

The ALA keeps track of all challenges and bans taken out each year in order to keep the public informed on what is happening in the literary community. Schools, book stores and libraries are the only places that can ban books which have been challenged.

Why was Diary of a Wimpy Kid banned?

"Diary of a Wimpy Kid" by Jeff Kinney: formally challenged in October 2018 in Conroe ISD because the complainant believed the main character had a “pessimistic world view” and the story was “contrary to everything Christian, and those of any faith who are seeking morality.” A review committee found it was appropriate.

Why is Animal Farm banned?

There are many places in the world where George Orwell's satire Animal Farm has been banned. To say that the United States is not one of these places is an understatement. The book was misunderstood and was seen as being critical of all forms of socialism, rather than specifically Stalinist communism.

Why is Hunger Games banned?

Schools and libraries across the country have banned The Hunger Games for being “anti-ethnic; anti-family; insensitivity; offensive language; occult/satanic; violence.” So if you feel like being a rebel yourself and picking up a forbidden book, check out Collins's series.

Why is there a push to ban books?

The book bans represent an immense increase in the number of books banned compared with any previous years and are part of the larger movement to restrict classroom conversations and lessons about race, racism, gender identity, and sexual orientation that has been led by Republican lawmakers and conservative parent ...

What countries still ban books?

Countries across the globe such as China, Bangladesh and Egypt commonly practice book banning to restrict education and allow censorship. Book banning has many implications in terms of access to education and further restricting vulnerable populations from thriving.

What happens to banned books?

Banning books has both short- and long-term effects. As soon as a challenged book is banned, it will promptly be removed from places like school libraries, bookstore shelves, reading lists and curricula—making it more difficult for a specific audience (usually students) to access.

Why is book banning a problem?

Opponents of bans argue that by restricting information and discouraging freedom of thought, censors undermine one of the primary functions of education: teaching students how to think for themselves. Such actions, assert free speech proponents, endanger tolerance, free expression, and democracy.

Why is book banning unconstitutional?

The 6th Circuit found that the First Amendment protects the right of the students to receive information and that a decision to remove the books from the school library was unconstitutional.

What do experts say about banning books?

While fear often dictates a ban, research says children's reactions are much more complex.

Where are books banned in the US?

Total Bans by State

Texas: 801 bans, 22 districts. Florida: 566 bans, 21 districts. Pennsylvania: 457 bans, 11 districts. Tennessee: 349 bans, 6 districts.

Why is the color purple banned?

“The Color Purple” by Alice Walker has been banned in schools all over the country since 1984, due to its graphic sexual content and situations of violence and abuse. While “The Color Purple” contains a lot of controversial content, it's necessary to the story and is what makes the book so real and unique.

Was Of Mice and Men banned?

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck has been banned countless times. This Depression-era tragic tale that was praised for its realism is regularly found in the top one hundred of the banned book list published by the American Library Association because of racial slurs, profanity, vulgarity, and offensive language.

Why was Alice in Wonderland banned?

"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland was originally banned in China and other parts of the world because some people objected to the animal characters being able to use human language. They felt this put animals on the same level as humans"(Banned).

Why is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory banned?

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Roald Dahl

This book was originally banned due to the fact that the depiction of the oompa loompas was seen as racist. Roald Dahl was taken aback by this and changed the description of the oompa loompas in a revised version.

Why is Junie B Jones banned?

Barbara Park's Junie B. Jones series was challenged because of its poor grammar, punctuation and often disrespectful attitude.