Censorship of Adolescent Literature in School Libraries
The school library is now a play of conflict that pits student who desires to scrutinize literature against the administration who control the educational content and what takes place in the library shelves. Numerous factors have enhanced the desire to censor school libraries. The factors include the high number of schools in learning institutions, changes in the way literature is taught, and the rising number of reading materials by Americans over recent years (Abbott, 1987). The climate has created an environment where parents, citizens, and some special interest groups to become willing to look over the shoulders of the literature tutors and school librarians. Censorship in a learning institution is a complicated situation because of the numerous variables that impact the way children learn, as well as the way schools intend to serve education. Nonetheless, I agree that censorship of adolescent literature in school libraries should be encouraged. Therefore, the essay addresses the issue of censorship of literature in school libraries among teens aged 12-18 years.
Censorship is essential because it can help reduce the effect of hate speech that is prevalent in society. The concept that all speeches are equal is false. It is because there are words used by speakers to shut down the right of expression of other people. Globally, it took more than a century for women and other minority groups to gain a resemblance of equal rights due to hate speech prevalence (Simmons & Dresang, 2001). Even if hate speech is clothed in the idea of patriotism, State’s rights, and religious freedom, it does not change other people’s views and perception. As such, through censorship, individuals will have an opportunity to stop hate before it is started. Since human beings are now living at the confines of entertainment, commerce, education, and family, the limiting process will create numerous opportunities for equality.
Censorship in school libraries can help both parents and teachers protect children against unhealthy content from books. In contemporary society, parents have plenty of work to do to protect their children against unhealthy influences from literature. There is literature content everywhere that can result in the harmful encounter of children in the future. Teens aged between 12-18 years have fewer control of books that they can read when compared to adults because of the way children view the world. Children have more curiosity, innocence, as well as loneliness and shy. However, through censorship, parents and teachers will be able to cut through teen’s exposure to unhealthy content so that a kid’s lack of foresight and inexperience does not get them in trouble in future. Therefore, by stopping children from accessing harmful literature content from school libraries, human beings will be kept safe because of particular restrictions to access certain literature content.
Further, encouraging censorship in school libraries is also essential because it helps reduce the State of conflict prevalent in communities. Every writer has a different theme that they are writing about regarding human beings. The content of the literature can be racism, ethnicity, and or cultural differences. Therefore, when children are allowed access to such literature content, they will be guided by the writer’s perception regarding a certain group of people. Besides, when children are also allowed access to books in the library that have conflicting information about the society, children will be offended or guided by how certain societies or people have been documented. The purpose of censorship is not to eliminate access to information that children can find problematic but to reduce the amount of conflicting information that is prevalent in society (Simmons & Dresang, 2001). Therefore, it is essential for parents, school management, and teachers to work together in promoting censorship in school libraries. Whether a stakeholder agrees or disagrees with the practice, it should be understood that censorship helps bar access to literary content that can be disruptive to the growth and harmony of societies.
Promoting censorship in school libraries can improve an individual’s knowledge. People tend to believe things that they see and read when consuming from literary works like books that are available and accessible to them. When children have access to literary content that is racist and promotes ethnicity, they will believe what the author has documented. Nonetheless, when such literary works are removed from access to children, it will help protect them from consuming dangerous information that can divide a society. By eliminating information that can create panic in a society or learning institutions, teachers, parents, and school management will be providing better protection, encourage review of information by students, and reduce the spread of false rumours (Pierce Garry, 2015). Through books or any literary items, people can promote the flow of information whereby a particular group of people will negatively be perceived, thereby instituting the same view to teens reading such literary works. Censorship can help reduce the spread of negative information about a certain group of people that can create a positive outcome in enhancing coexistence between people.
Finally, censorship in the school library is important because it offers children a vehicle to stop the spread of malicious content. Just like there are laws that prevent businesses from lying to their clients regarding particular services or goods, there is also a policy that guides students learning and access to literary materials in school libraries (Hansen, 1987). The student should be taught based on their age and should not be allowed to have access to unwanted information that can affect their perception of people. For that reason, school boards should create policy statement that guide procurement of books in their institutions to ensure that novels purchased does not threaten the freedom of children to learn, there relationship with members of the society, quality of education that they offer, and the professional integrity of the tutors. The materials that should be availed in school libraries should not include what parents and school officials deem inappropriate for their children.
The issue of censorship of literature in school libraries among teens aged 12-18 years is an issue that should be held closely in check to ensure that children are not fed with false and misguiding information. While it is essential to ensure that children are adequately prepared through the creation of awareness when they are young to prepare them for an open world, schools should ensure that censorship is promoted. Censorship is not only essential because it acts as a vehicle that helps stop the spread of false information but also helps improve a child’s knowledge. Besides, it is also critical because it helps reduce the impact of hate speech in distinct societies. Finally, it also helps in protecting children against unhealthy content that is contained in some books. For that reason, through censorship, children will be able to cut through potential threats to ensure that a child’s lack of foresight and inexperience does not get them to trouble.
References
Abbott, R. L. (1987). A Critical Analysis of the Library-Related Literature Concerning Censorship in Public Libraries and Public School Libraries in the United States during the 1980s.
Hansen, E. (1987). Censorship in Schools: Studies and Surveys. School Library Journal, 34(1), 123-25.
Pierce Garry, C. (2015). Selection or Censorship? School Librarians and LGBTQ Resources. School Libraries Worldwide, 21(1).
Simmons, J. S., & Dresang, E. T. (2001). School Censorship in the 21st Century: A Guide for Teachers and School Library Media Specialists. Order Department, International Reading Association, 800 Barksdale Road, PO Box 8139, Newark, DE 19714-8139.