On Banning Books and Parental Rights

 Like many of my friends, I delight in lists of "banned books." But I have a certain skepticism about them. What is the difference between "banning" a book, and simply choosing not to include it in the curriculum, or in the school library? It's a librarian's job to choose some books--and not others. I suppose an effort to remove a book that is already in the library is suspect, but I could see grounds for doing this. For instance, if a particular book were contributing to teen suicide, then I would support pulling it from school libraries. This isn't censorship. The book still exists and can be purchased and read. It's curating a library.

 

In a similar vein, I have to laugh at the "Parental Bill of Rights" being circulated by the right wing. The rights they are demanding--to know what the curriculum is, to know what books kids are reading, to have a say in the school budget--these are all rights everyone has already. No school system in America keeps their reading list secret. Saying that people need to demand these rights is a lie. You don't need to demand what you already have. 

 

If you want to have a say in the school curriculum, go to your school board meetings. Volunteer to help on the curriculum committees. Heck, run for the school board. But remember there are other people in town, other voices, and you probably won't be able to have everything exactly as you think it should be. You'll have the best chance of getting what is important to you if you can find a way for others to have what is important to them, too.

On that note, I must applaud the author who is writing a series of books on the heroes of the Right, including Ronald Reagan and Justice Amy Coney Barrett. This is exactly the right response to people who object to books lauding JFK and Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Don't tell me not to tell my story. Tell your story. I won't guarantee that I'll recommend it be included in school libraries or curricula, because not every book is, but if it's well done it ought to be. Only one thing is sure: if you don't tell your story, you won't be heard.