If you as a parent do not want your child to read about something, that is your job as a parent to oversee their reading. It should absolutely not affect what children who are not yours are reading.
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Well, if it’s any consolation, here’s one American that agrees with you 💯! This is just basic facts, anyone that has a political or religious disagreement with your sentiments is a 🚩 Books are vehicles to intellectual freedom and creativity. No one gets to censor them for other people/ppl’s kids.
Mein Kampf is banned in Israel, and non-annotated editions are banned in Germany, Austria France, Italy & Poland. India, China, Singapore, Russia, and Hungary are prolific book banners.
It should not be an issue at all. Opposition to book bans have been consistently in the 70-75% range, including a majority of Republicans. About 7% of parents reported their child reading an “age-inappropriate book. It is a MAGA issue, strongly opposed by the First Amendment.
Usborne has a lift the flap look inside how things work Book that’s cool for this. There’s also The Construction Alphabet Book by Jerry Pallotta. Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site by Sherry Duskey Rinkler (a series).
Laws and rules that ban books disproportionately affect children who belong to groups that are already discriminated against. They deserve to see themselves reflected in books, as does every child. And every child should read as widely as they can to grow their empathy towards others.
I couldn’t agree with all of this more, or put it better myself. It’s sad that such things need to be said - but as long as they do, I think we have to keep saying them!
There are plenty of teachers in the United States. Just because you may not personally know of any does not mean they don’t exist. There were plenty taught in the high school that I went to here in Michigan.
Trump wants to get rid of the Department of Education because if you look at this statistics ever since it’s been established, our country has slowly gone downhill in learning.
It is, even if people can still find it, banning it from library shelves makes it less accessible, harder to find, and reduces representation in library collections.
How so?
Every book I've tried to find for the past 20 years, was available from Amazon or BN. The whole ordering process takes less than a minute, and I get the book in two days or less.
Many people can’t afford to buy books so those books aren’t accessible to them. I live in a place where it would also take much longer than a few days to ship them here.
You sound just like my ex-husband, right after I came home from the library with two kids completely happy with arm loads of books. Not everybody wants to go to Amazon, and not everybody can afford to go to Amazon. The library is a great place just to be.
Yes, it is. If you remove a book from a library, that is banning it. Not everyone has access to good WiFi or the money to buy a book or even to know it exists without seeing it on the shelves. You should learn about this subject.
What “they” worry about is losing control over their children and their way of life so they don’t want anybody else to read the material they don’t like because the whole fucking world revolves around their righteousness.🤬
You mean personal responsibility? Now, which party always talks about that as a cornerstone of their everything? EXCEPT when it comes to things they hate.
Wait what? I have 3 kids and I am certainly not going to allow my 11 year old to read about anything he wants. Spoiler alert I don’t let him watch whatever he wants. Please don’t become a parent
In your presence. You don't let him read/watch whatever he wants in your presence. You literally cannot prevent him from reading/watching what he wants when you are not around - at school, at friends' homes, sometimes even in your own home when he's alone in his room. And that's okay, actually.
He's 11 now. At 11, I sneakily read stuff I wasn't supposed to, and my mom barely even cared about the age appropriateness of the fiction I was reading (so I didn't even need to sneak it, but I did). It's just part of growing up. Be a safe place for your kid to bring questions.
Prisoners are legally slaves under the 14th amendment.
...The USA has a larger percentage of its' people in prison than any other country.
...I'm a bit tempted to see a connection.
One of the books on the 'ban list' for "pornography" is Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sing. What they consider 'porn' is her using child-like terms do describe her molestation as a child. In all of the required reading of parts of the book, we never covered that. I read it as a Sr.
Most importantly, we walk about it. Why do you want to read it? Is there something more appropriate right now for you to read with the same themes? If you want to read this specific thing, can we have check ins at certain points in the book?
This also assumes you have read the book and are delaying your child reading it for specific mature themes.
You have to treat your child like someone who will one day grow into an adult.
I have a problem with the fact that anyone would not want their kids to learn about history. I don’t have a good answer but if people are so against things that happen or are happening they should do some soul searching about why they don’t want their kids learn them.
I’m not arguing for anything really or saying those other things? I’m talking from a public library book banning lens. I’m not really sure what you’re getting at?
I guess I’m not sure what your original argument is and whether you agree with me about book banning or not? But I don’t think any one person’s views should affect curriculum either but again am not a teacher so I’m just talking from my own experience.
You can’t rewrite history. Sticking your head in the sand and pretending it didn’t happen or removing any reference to it, just assures that it will be repeated. The ‘language and wordage’ used in historical books may be offensive but that’s the way people spoke! Be happy most don’t anymore.
"Reject their right to have opposing beliefs" remains in the lead with 4, followed by segregated schools with 2, then repeal the first amendment and put them all on an island with 1 apiece. Very progressive. Good thing we're the smart people with new and just ideas!
The issue is with your posing of that question in the first place. Opposing beliefs are one thing, but rejecting the teaching of historical fact is another. What is 'just' about that? What do you propose as a 'new and just' solution?
"Historical fact" is a matter of opinion and is ever changing. I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. Human history did not go on for 10,000 years so that 2024 can be the first year we are correct. In 2074, you will look as wrong as 1954.
I guess I'm just not sure why a parent would expect parts of our history that they happen not to like would not be taught in a public school, or that they should be able to request that it be left out. I'm trying to be objective about this.
I forget who said it, but I’ve always remembered the quote: “Censorship, like charity, begins at home; unlike charity, that is also where censorship ends.”
I’m part of a group trying to restart our elementary school library. It’s wonderful, but I know there will eventually be some one demanding we remove books.
American Library Association has lots of great suggestions for respectfully and successfully navigating book challenges and making good policy in advance, definitely be prepared!
This. So much. When I was a kid, the conservative culture warrior Christians had a lot of things they didn’t participate in. For the most part, they boycotted the content or stayed out of the spade. This is much darker in a lot of ways.
These people would be better off making sure their own children aren’t exposed to inappropriate social media content rather than trying to ban books for other children.
My daughtr was in Catholic School til 6th grade, wasnt able to read Harry Potter. I enrolled her in pubschool 7th grade. she discovered Twilight, read all the Harry Potters, it made her a better writer. She was more creative, her artwork is amazing. Reading is a beautiful thing for all children.
Excellent point de vue. De toute façon, un enfant lira bien ce qu'il veut bien, parents ou pas. Et plus on interdit, plus ça se lira, et je suis pour ça. Un enfant bien éduqué et informé, fera toujours la part de ce qu'il lit, et s'informera, sur ces doutes.
I was a voracious reader. As a curious elementary school kid, I dug through a box of my parents' old books. Among them, "1984" and "The Satan Seller." I read both. I'm over 40 now and fine.
Here is the bit people tend to forget. If you tell a child they can't do something, often that makes it more interesting for them. So either they find a way to do it anyway or do it later in life. So when a book is demonized or bad, that will make it more appeal to some kids.
The same people who would still ban their kids from hanging out with another school child or neighbour on some frivolous basis even if those books were not being read by any child. :/
Mostly true. Mostly. In places where Judaism is a minority religion, it is much better than Christianity at staying in its lane. In Mea Shearim, however, there are a few people who throw rocks at anyone who drives a car on Shabbat. IMO that's a function of relative power, and the need for control.
Thanks. If all of Christianity practiced the humility of a minority religion, the dynamics would be very different in the USA. Hat tip to the Christians who stay in their lane - I see you, Fred Rogers! - and hat tip to all who stand in solidarity against the Christian Dominionists.
Meanwhile, Christian Nationalists are trying to use the gov't to ban p∅rn, ban the existence of LGBTQ folk, ban books, ban contraception, erase no-fault divorce, erase women's rights in general, and destroy public education.
I always tell my students the one key way to keep yourself from falling for propaganda and eventually authoritarianism is to keep reading and writing. So I'm sure it's just a coincidence that book bans have been happening in the last few years and fascism is knocking at the door again.
Ironic the people shouting loudest about freedom are also the most vociferous about imposing their beliefs on those who don’t subscribe to theirs. The right is such a contradiction - pro-life until it comes to guns, free speech as long as they agree and now books.
That's largely because reactionaries don't actually have beliefs as such.
They have hierarchies that place them at the top and must be enforced. However that happens is perfectly valid even if it's openly contradictory to any previous claim.
So a reactionary can claim that the lives of kids and children are incredibly important to them, but then they'll actively talk about repealing full constitutional acts just to kick brown kids out of the US(by ending birthright citizenship).
Reactionaries are your six year old cousin, and you think you're playing a game with set rules. But to your six year old cousin, the only rule is "I win", and all other rules are to be picked up and put down at the point to facilitate that.
You are in fact, just a parent of your own child. You have no business deciding what other people‘s children get to read. Correct what you think is wrong in your own house, but leave public libraries and schools alone.
I beg to differ, parenting doesn’t just end with your kids. And there’s a difference between objectively raising a concern and subjectively making an observation. I’m speaking on the objective aspect of it.
Parenting absolutely does just mean your own children. That’s why it’s called parenting, as in done by a parent. You are not other people‘s children’s parent. You’re welcome to review books or give advice when people ask, but you are definitely not allowed to parent other people’s children.
We are not living in a commune, we are living in a society made up of households with different values. No one household’s values should be limiting the choices or access for other people, including children.
This is an extremely shallow opinion and this is the exact reason we’ve lost it as a country. You can raise your child whichever way suits you, but bear in mind that actions have consequences.
It absolutely ends with YOUR children or charges. You can voice concerns through proper channels if you have legitimate evidence of abuse of other children, but that’s it. Anything else is invasive and overreaching, because it’s NOT your business.
That’s okay, but there’s nothing wrong in telling parents to keep some particular books away from kids, especially if the book has more adverse effects on them.
I’m not sure what books would have adverse affects on kids? I’m a children’s librarian and I’ve read so many books written for children, none of them harmful.
The one and only reason I rescued and read "Of Mice and Men" and "Fahrenheit 451" was because in high school I heard they were about to be banned. So you could say I checked them out of the library permanently. I didn't fill out the card, just took them.
65 yo. Read whatever I wanted and so did my two children. Would have been outrageous to even suggest a book ban, never mind implement one. This whole thing is so regressive and wrong to me. Since when did reading, thinking, and acknowledging differences become so life-altering and traumatic?
Bc that’s NOT what it’s about - it IS about what other kids are reading or gonna read (or are even able to read!). Oftentimes, esp. w/ homeschoolers (I was one for 10 years), there’s this surreal disconnect between their Big Picture philosophy of parenting and boots-on-the-ground application, too 😬
On one hand, that's a significant distinction. On another hand, I have an interest in how my neighbor's children are raised, because they will become the adult neighbors of my children. I cannot _stop_ my neighbor from raising his children as white supremacist bigots; but I still have an interest.
Please share with as many as you can: nearly every school district has had FOR YEARS, a process for parents and guardians to challenge objectionable material. Until 2021 and the lies fomented by Trump, DeSantis and Moms for Liberty, very few challenges ever occurred. Many thanks. ✊🏾❤️🇺🇸
100% 💙💙 I'd never tell my son "no" to reading anything. The fact that he (or any other kid, for that matter), wants to learn and grow as a person is fabulous to me!
You do realize that people who support racism, banning abortion, anti LGBT+ etc probably read a lot about that in books too. Look at all the books by Trump’s close people. Not all books teach good things. Your child is not guaranteed to only learn good things.
My son understands critical thinking. I don't doubt him for a second, i do realize everything you said here, but my kiddo's empathy and intelligence leads his understanding. Thank you for bringing this to my attention, though 💙
I love reading, my kids are avid readers. We (as a society) have to realize that there can be a danger if a person becomes obsessed with a topic that is changing their mind set in a bad way. (White supremacy for example). That’s why I add a caution for all of us. 😊
I read Mein Kampf when I was like 14, never became a Nazi. If you're exposed to a wide variety of reading materials and voices it allows you to develop your critical literacy, which many right-wingers are actively missing.
My kids had their grandparents who lived it. And they had books that they collected from Germany. I kept my kids in fantasy. They loved it. Our local library wasn’t well stocked unfortunately.
Learning can and will make you uncomfortable at times, that's not a reason to stop when you can't understand a fictional character or a real concept. Discomfort at new ideas doesn't mean theyre dangerous - they're only dangerous to those who want to hide in the dark.
If I decide that my child should not be reading a book it probably isn’t that I am wrong. It could be due to maturity, the content isn’t appropriate, it doesn’t align with our family values/morals. Some want their child to learn adult issues very early, some want their child to enjoy being a child.
There’s lot of stuff my kids aren’t ready to read but that doesn’t mean I think the public library shouldn’t stock it. Many libraries have books sectioned by age for this reason.
I don’t believe in book banning but because I say I don’t want my children to read something doesn’t make me a bad parent. I believe in letting children be children. I don’t want them reading books that they can wait to read. I wanted them to read fantasy. Live in their imagination.
Did *they* want to read fantasy? That is a genre that is absolutely not my jam, and if my parents had said they wanted me to read it, I would’ve felt very unheard. There are other genres that can spur imagination just fine, and letting kids find their preferred genre(s) is important!
Omgosh. They loved it! I couldn’t keep them in books lol. They always had a new list for me. I still have the boxes in my basement b/c they want to keep them. They are in their thirties and are still avid readers.
Exactly. And it is then the role of a parent to suggest and a librarian to enquire - and then both to essentially let the child (or patron) be the final arbiter of whether they want to read something or not.
Then a parent can discuss themes or topics or invite questions or comments or critiques..
Our library wasn’t very well stocked when my kids were growing up. (Very small town)We spent a lot of time in the city bookstore. I would have loved a great library.
I struggle to think of what ill could befall a child who reads something they aren't mature enough for. (Assuming they don't just give up because they don't get it.)
Prohibition because of 'family values' does tend to scream "wrong" to me. Exposure to other ideas is how we grow and find ourself.
Children need guidance. Children do not need adult books. I wanted to build my children’s character and confidence before they were mid teens and made independent decisions. By then they had a foundation to grow and develop. Today, (30’s) they are strong, independent, honourable, good people.
My mom was a 1st grade teacher..taught me how to read when I was 4…she enrolled me in a book club .. we would sit together once a month and pick out books for me to read ..helped me get library card.. reading opened up worlds to me.. I was very lucky
I was in 6th grade and I found the Godfather book on my mom’s bookshelf and started reading it. My teacher sent me home with a note letting my mom know that it’s disturbing the other parents because it’s too advanced of a book for me. I went on to graduate school at the age of 16.
My dad argued to the school principal that 'age appropriate' is also individual. I read 'Scarlet Letter' in first grade and discussed it intelligently with him
I found Fear of Flying by Erica Jong on my mother’s nightstand when I was about that age, read it, was not harmed or scarred, began college at 16 and attained two masters degrees
Ikr! You give your kids Trump bibles if you want, I’ll give mine the book about a fairytale land that might happen to have one sentence about a side character with two dads. Pluralism! Live and let live!
I stopped my son from reading one thing. Someone gave him the first Game of Thrones book when he was 13. I didn’t even say “no”, just “not yet”. I gave the book back when he was 16 and could handle it better.
I’ve never understood the need some have to police other people, whether about what they’re reading, whom they choose to love and partner with, the healthcare decisions they make, the religion they follow, etc. Whatever happened to live & let live?
I hate the often-held assumption that some people act like they have the authority to BAN! .... I never heard of banning. Everyone is free to object but so what?
Even if you think you have successfully banned books from your child's eyes, somehow, someway, your child is going to find every single one of those books you're banning and read them, because you've automatically triggered your child's curiosity and their desire to find out for themselves.
I was just talking about this! Even if a parent tells their child not to read a certain book, they are going to find a way. That's why they want them banned. But it boomerangs, and they eventually find and read that book.
My grandfather, to encourage us to read, would sit & make exclamations while reading. "Oh my God!", "Unbelievable!", "Amazing!" "Oh no!" anything to make us curious. I can't begin to tell you how many books we read, that weren't even denied to us, just because of the way my grandfather reacted.
I agree completely. My parents encouraged us to read anything and talk about it. I value my upbringing because I learned early on to read widely and deeply - an excellent skill for a life-long learner and a citizen at this bizarre time
I just think children should be able to read 'age'appropriate books. Making them read materials that contain concepts that adults are struggling to understand does not fall within this scope. If parents want their kids to read about adult stuff, they could buy them those books.
I didn't want my son to read Bridge to Terebithia because I know that, regardless of the author's intention, young kids that read it often take the message that God hates creativity. He WOULD HAVE felt that.
So I spoilered the hell out of it. He chose A Wrinkle in Time, instead.
I didn't ban it.
When I was young my school library wouldn't let me borrow a couple of books as I was too young. Next day, mum marched me up to the librarian & firmly but politely insisted I be allowed to borrow any book I wanted. I turned into a tolerant, curious, empathetic lleft-winger. Maybe that's their worry?
My school library also ran a bookshop. They had a rule we were only allowed to buy something like 4 books / term, as well as a spending limit for each child set by the parents. My (wonderful) parents wrote to the school to tell them to let me have books whenever I wanted, up to the limit.
It’s so ironic that the parents today who are constantly crying ‘won’t someone think of the children!’, are the generation whose parents didn’t know where their kids were if they weren’t at home….
I read VC Andrews, which was in my school library, in grade 7 or 8
AND... understand that your child will probably read about it anyway, and that the adjective "your" denotes that the child is related to you, not owned by you.
As a young lad,my parents allowed me to read anything. The fact that I ended up as a pirate,pilot,adventurer,soldier
and many others never bothered them. They were big readers themselves.
If reading a book will harm your child, you are failing as a parent
Same with seeing or hearing something on TV [I guess that's TikTok now - or - where are the kids getting it these days]
My dad said he never worried about the school corrupting his kids because their course was set by six years
This is true...but also as a very curious child...I still harbor resentment towards my parents for what they kept from me. This is not an easy thing to parse out, but I think kids deserve more rights than they get.
Access to any religions or cultures or viewpoints that differed from their own. Restrictions to learning about the world at large. Having a shit knowledge about reproduction.
Absolutely. I think - just a thought I am developing lately, that religion in the US is actually the strongest “civil” sector. I know it sounds crazy, but churches in the US provide so much of what usually the government should do.
Absolutely. I have complete control over what my kid reads and I'm selective and intentional about it. When he's old enough to go to a library or a book store, he'll be old enough to branch out from what I've turned him on to.
Oh one of my middle school friend's parents were horrified at the books I read (mostly just fantasy and some lighter Stephen King) and my parents were so incredibly annoyed to have that conversation 😭
They trusted me and my brothers with whatever books we wanted to read.
Parents who control their children like this cause so much damage. Reading and learning are a basic thing for children. Let them cook. If you're a great role model and a decent parent, the kids will listen to your opinion and form their own, most likely very similar.
Only parents that know that their ideas are stupid are afraid that their kids will read other opinions and decide for themselves. At the end of the day the control they want not only is impossible, but will create resentment against them and the very dumb ideas they tried to push on their kids.
I'm really sorry to read that. Hope you manage to recover from it... unfortunately past can't be changed, but we can learn from our past experiences and avoid to make the same mistakes all over again. I'm sure this bad experience of yours will allow you to be a better parent if you (will) have kids.
I'm past childbearing age - but thank you! I'm doing a lot better since I learned boundaries with her. Luckily, my partner and I are very happy, even without children, and we live a very full life. I'm finally loved for my true self, and my chosen family is all the support I need.
Exactly its not up to the government i mean really what do they do for us . Nothing thats what. The only reason trump wants back into white house is to steal more money from the Americans and anyone else who lives here .pathetic we are now a 3rd world country.
By the same logic they shouldn't care what goes on in someone else's bedroom and they should only care about their own womb. We see how well that's been going for us. Logic isn't useful against illogical thinking.
My parents placed no limits on my reading as a child.
I could read any book in the house, and choose anything from the library.
Tell ya what. I learned a LOT about sex from The Dirty Dozen.
They left that part out of the movie.
Books are the accumulated knowledge of humanity. The only reason not to let kids read something is to prevent them from being able to make their own choices as adults.
None of my worst decisions as a kid were because of a book. Some of my best were, but only in the sense they gave me the information I needed to make those decisions wisely and carefully. And I might have made worse ones if I hadn’t been able to talk to my parents about my thoughts.
I don't remember them trying this with violent video games or movies. If they didn't like those things, they just didn't let their kids watch or play them. But knowledge and ideas are the real threat. This has been a long time coming. Since my childhood.
Our rule with our kids was simple. You can read anything (we do need to know what it is) except the Left Behind series. We told them God doesn’t work like that.
As a parent to 4 children currently, I want any book available for them to choose. It speaks on their curiosity and development. You can explain literally anything in an age appropriate way. ❤️
So if they decide to start offering alcohol to kindergarteners it’s okay as long as u dont allow it at home then? Half baked opinion
You cant control what is out of your reach .. schools should represent all and def moderation in the scope of thought and access
Comments
Care to recommend some books for a 2-3 year old that loves mechanical things?
I do not know any teachers that fit your description or definition.
I am really old and go to the library every week😂
Every book I've tried to find for the past 20 years, was available from Amazon or BN. The whole ordering process takes less than a minute, and I get the book in two days or less.
What about places where shipping isn’t available, or where people’s only access to books is their community library?
1)They want marginalized people to blame themselves, which they often do when isolated.
2) They don't want their kids to realize *The marginalized are human*
Realizing it makes it harder to inherit the oppressor role.
I think a lot of parents who get scared of books just don't want to admit they can't read.
...The USA has a larger percentage of its' people in prison than any other country.
...I'm a bit tempted to see a connection.
But here we are.
You have to treat your child like someone who will one day grow into an adult.
Censoring the Bible is freedom of religion. Censoring the other fiction 😂 is freedom of speech. Both in the first amendment.
Is the issue becoming clear?
You see it as wrong without acknowledging your right is another equally valid human's right.
All snark aside, it would be refreshing for parents to do their #1 job... parenting.
HAM & CLAMS! 🎵
Don’t come the raw prawn with me sunshine
;/
They have hierarchies that place them at the top and must be enforced. However that happens is perfectly valid even if it's openly contradictory to any previous claim.
By why do people want to control others so much. If you have good ideas, people will agree with you. If you have to force it, your ideas are bad.
Leave my child’s education to my DH and me.
We know him and know what he can and cannot tolerate.
We also communicate and explain things to him, he is so well rounded and empathetic…and we are proud.
Then a parent can discuss themes or topics or invite questions or comments or critiques..
Prohibition because of 'family values' does tend to scream "wrong" to me. Exposure to other ideas is how we grow and find ourself.
Decision was "She's quite sensible, if it's making her uncomfortable, she'll put it down".
See, that wasn't that hard really...
Much what my kids were reading, the important thing was that they were reading
I think that is a bit much for 13-year olds.
Discworld books are pretty much PG-13, though.☺️
So I spoilered the hell out of it. He chose A Wrinkle in Time, instead.
I didn't ban it.
I read VC Andrews, which was in my school library, in grade 7 or 8
I bc don’t know any teen paying for his wifi
and many others never bothered them. They were big readers themselves.
Same with seeing or hearing something on TV [I guess that's TikTok now - or - where are the kids getting it these days]
My dad said he never worried about the school corrupting his kids because their course was set by six years
...it highlights what we should be reading.
They trusted me and my brothers with whatever books we wanted to read.
So, I became a horror fan. And I learned that heroes don’t have to unafraid, just brave anyway.
There were some bits that were too adult for me to really understand, I just skipped those parts. 🤷🏻♀️
I could read any book in the house, and choose anything from the library.
Tell ya what. I learned a LOT about sex from The Dirty Dozen.
They left that part out of the movie.
And, this Librarian needs to be known for what is occurring all over the nation
https://youtu.be/sYiQ9HQCVYY?si=vSkK88BRvEW1Hw4K
And “1984” is currently banned in 18 school distrcts.
You cant control what is out of your reach .. schools should represent all and def moderation in the scope of thought and access