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 banned books 
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In my literacy and tech. class we discussed censorship and banned books. I, and several other students, were shocked at some of the books that made it to the list of the 100 most frequently challenged books! I thought some of you would be interested in looking at this list. While for some books it is obvious why they are challenged, I could not understand why many were on the list. What do you guys think?

http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksw ... uently.htm

“[I]t’s not just the books under fire now that worry me. It is the books that will never be
written. The books that will never be read. And all due to the fear of censorship.
As always, young readers will be the real losers.â€

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Jenny Smith


Wed Jun 09, 2004 1:39 pm
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I agree with you, I was totally amazed that some books were on that banned book list! For decades, parents, religious groups, countries, and individuals have complained about books with different religious views, sexual orientaion, Magic, violence, real-world topics, etc. I say: GET OVER IT!!! If you do not want your children to read something, don't let them. As a country, we have the freedom of speech and press and should not have that freedom refused by people who do not agree.
I love most of the books that were on the banned or challenged book list and I think everyone should get a chance to read them.

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Elyse Boehme


Wed Jun 09, 2004 4:37 pm
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I find it funny that the book, the giver, was on this list being that it is a book about a controling society and rebelling against it. Ironic.

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Kari King


Wed Jun 09, 2004 8:07 pm
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I was shocked to see many of those books on the list. Some of them I could understand not being appropriate for public school libraries. However, the vast majority I was very surprised at. Many of those books I read when I was little (Goosebumps), and I know many were required for me to read in high school (To Kill A Mockingbird, Brave New World). I am also reading the Harry Potter books right now, and I don't really see anything at all wrong with them. I think kids, especially in high school, need to have the availability to read many different things. I thought it was very ironic that books concerning boys and girls growing up and what happens as they grow up were banned when they may be much help to kids who are just starting in middle school.

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Emily Grogan


Thu Jun 10, 2004 8:55 am
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These issues are all a part of our society and daily lives. What good does ignoring them do? Perhaps we need to FOCUS ON contraversial issues in schools so that students gradaute with the ability to deal with them intelligently and rationally when they confront them in their lives - seems like this would eliminate a lot of prejudice, fear, and violence since fear of the unknown and misunderstood is often a factor...

granted, we shouldn't push things on our students before they are developmentally able to handle them...

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Kaci Slate


Thu Jun 10, 2004 11:09 am
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I agree Kaci, children should know the good and bad of our society and the whole history (story) of events and allowed to make up their own minds. However, I feel the problem comes in that the cirriculum is not set up to work with student's developmental or maturity level to handle some of the topics. A teacher needs to be aware of her students and parents and work to present the appropriate amount of information based on EVERYONES best interest with out denying the truth and both sides of issues from children!!

linda brock


Thu Jun 10, 2004 11:18 am
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I think that it is ridiculous some of the high school age books that were banned on the list. Many of the high schoolers will be entering the "real world" in a few short years and yet we still think we can censor the books they read. Some of the people that ban these books have nothing better to do than sit at home and find reasons to ban these books. Some of the books on this list were my favorites in high school. If we take away all the controversial books, then the ones left aren't very interesting!!

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Staci Lambert


Sun Jun 13, 2004 12:03 pm
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I don't think those books should be banned from the library we want kids to challenge themselves and to become individual thinkers limiting them on what they can or cannot read is revoking their freedom of knowledge and choice which can lead to a narrow minded view of the world.

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Beth Abernathy


Sun Jun 13, 2004 9:19 pm
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I know that some of these books on this list were required readings all through my middle school and high school learning experience. I do not see why some of these books are considered inappropriate. If we take away a large portion of literature from our children and students we are only taking away from their ability to look at different situations from different perspectives. We cannot hold our children back from reality and everyday life.

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Erin A. Eldridge


Tue Jun 15, 2004 7:55 pm
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Of course, I agree with everyone that the list of books was pretty absurd. The title that is always on the list, A wrinkle in time, was my "lightbulb moment" book. It was the first novel I read and realized that my perception was very different from my friend's, and that different interpretations were okay. Isn't the point of literature classes to encourage kids to read? A lot of parents allow boys to read comic books, because hey- it's reading. So if it takes reading a scary sci-fi book like Harry Potter, or reading a controversial book that delves into alternative lifestyles, shouldn't the base fact that reading is occuring mean something? I would hate to think what my thinking level would be if I had never read A wrinkle in time...

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Natalie Hawley


Tue Jun 15, 2004 9:36 pm
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First of all, I agree with what everyone is saying about how many books are on the list and about particular books being on the list. However, look at the other side to that, do you really want to know that your students can get their hands on anything they want in the school? Don't you want to know that someone up there is looking out for their best intrest, or at least what they think is their best interest? I completely agree that some books being on the list is absurd, but, just remember that these kids can read them outside of school if they want, they just can't be taught in a classroom. All of my teachers have always said to choose your battles wisely, and honestly, some of those books I wouldn't want to teach and I wouldn't fight everyone to teach it. Thats just me..hope I didn't make anyone mad.

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Catherine Crews


Fri Jun 18, 2004 8:41 am
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