As the word of Project 2025 buzzes around, the topic of banned books is also in the air. The forever burning question of whether or not this act is a violation of the United States’ First Amendment is on people’s minds.
Books are typically challenged or banned because of the content contained within the stories. Butler University wrote that books containing people of color, mental health, violence, and LGBTQ+ characters or themes are some of the most common reasons why a book is questioned. After an organization or individual becomes aware of the contents of a book that is held in school classrooms and libraries, a book may be banned if they disagree with the contents. They may argue that the book is not suitable for the audience it is available to.
“Many books have been banned or censored in one or more of these categories due to a misjudgment or misunderstanding about the books contents and message,” mentioned Butler University. “Many books that have been banned or censored later were dropped from banned books lists and were no longer considered controversial.”
Banning books is nothing new; it began centuries ago with abolitionist works. Since then, the Supreme Court has come to the conclusion, twice, that this is an infringement on the First Amendment rights of school children. The exact precedents of the ruling have been vague, causing schools to find loopholes.
In addition, school boards have control over banned books and base their opinions on what they would consider “community values.”
Justice William J. Brennan Jr., the Supreme Court Justice that wrote the plurality opinion of the 1982 ruling, asserted that, even though “local school boards have broad discretion in the management of school affairs,” discretion “must be exercised in a manner that comports with the transcendent imperatives of the First Amendment.”
In 2023, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law preventing books from being banned because of discrimination or portrayals of diversity. Thus, increasing the difficulty for a school district to bypass the rulings put into place.
“With this new law, we’re cementing California’s role as the true freedom state: a place where families — not political fanatics — have the freedom to decide what’s right for them,” Newsom addressed.
Now, the efforts to ban books are at an all time high. In 2023, the ALA (American Library Association) documented that the number of challenges on books increased 65% from 2022, ending with a record-breaking 4,240 unique titles being tried in the U.S. by the end of the year. Although 2024’s number of reports decreased, it is far more than any numbers recorded before 2020. Some say political division has been a factor as to why censorship has gained traction and why certain topics are being targeted in book bans when trying to push a political agenda.
Sonya Douglas, the Professor of Education Leadership, discussed the impact of having access to a diverse selection of books to read as a child. Research has proven that there is a positive impact on students whose access to books on diverse topics is not limited.
On the other hand, students that have less access could lead to a more limited understanding of the world around them, as well as themselves.
“It’s a battle over the soul of the country in many ways; it’s about what we teach young people about our country, what we determine to be the truth, and what we believe should be included in the curriculum they’re receiving. There’s a lot at stake there,” she wrote.
When interviewing Mr. Khan, an English teacher at Liberty, he voiced strong opinions on the social aspect behind the banning of books. He described the cause and rise of banning books to be the heavy involvement of parents on what their children are learning in school and the recent push of censorship. Mr. Khan went on to explain the importance of reading books that could be considered controversial.
“I don’t believe in book banning. In AP English, we read some pretty controversial books, but I expect my students to have maturity when approaching the topics in class,” he responded. “I think it helps them expand on their understanding of the world.”
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