Book bans: Hellish weapons of censorship

Bluest Eye,” have been banned in Texan school districts.

Over the past couple of years, a disturbing trend has arisen across the nation.

Texas, Florida and other Republican states all over the U.S. have been removing books about racism, sexuality and gender identity from their public libraries and schools. It is only a matter of time before this plague begins to spread to more progressive states like California.

The American Library Association says 1,915 unique titles have been banned or challenged in 2023 so far, a 20 percent increase from last year. According to ALA president

Lessa Kanani'opua Pelayo-Lozada, those who attempt to ban these books usually haven't read them in the first place.

Book bans are nothing new. In 1884, when Mark Twain first published “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” which explored institutionalized racism and prejudice against Black people in America, libraries across the country condemned it for its explicit language and removed it from their bookshelves, egged on by local governments.

The reasoning for such book bans is more or less the same: the books deal with topics that are “inappropriate” for minors in public schools.

Books that discuss racial oppression in America, like “The Hate U Give” and “The

Books featuring LGBTQ+ characters have been a target as well. For instance, the memoir “Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe, which talks about their journey of self-discovery and realizing they were non-binary. This title received a total of 67 bans across school districts in both the 2021-22 and 202223 school years, and other titles at the top of the 2022 banned books list frequently center around LGBTQ+ characters.

The Republican politicians pushing for the bans of LGBTQ+ books cite these novels as being pornographic for their frank discussions of sex and sexuality. But when over 41 percent of banned titles in 2022 have content relating to LGBTQ+ identity, it's clear that the reasoning behind these bans goes deeper than ensuring children don’t read about sex – they’re trying to silence the voices of the LGBTQ+ community and people of color by erasing their stories and experiences.

Lawmakers in Florida expanded classrooms in all grades and forcing teachers to remove LGBTQ+ books from their curriculums.

Texas House Representative Matt Krause, meanwhile, has recommended that the state withhold a total of 850 books that address race and sexual identity from all public schools.

All the reasons to ban these books – explicit language, pornography, graphic descriptions of violence – are blatant excuses designed to silence minority groups whose stories or ideas are being expressed in these novels.

Many kids of color and those exploring their sexuality or gender find solace in the books Texas and Florida are trying to ban. They see themselves represented in the protagonists of these novels, affirming their individual identities and making them feel more accepted in their respective communities as a whole.

The politicians and parents behind these book bans are attempting to remove these teens from this place of comfort. By keeping certain novels out of kids’ hands, the adults in charge keep them from feeling included, dis- covering their identity and feeling truly happy.

What makes these book bans even more despicable is that some are being enforced in disregard of the law.

Most school districts nationwide have adopted a policy where, if a parent requests for a book to be removed, it must be submitted via a form that passes through a committee of school employees for review.

Certain schools in Texas have sidestepped this process, allowing school administrators to remove books in order to avoid controversy.

The Denton Independent School District in Texas, for example, is reviewing 11 controversial books, even though it has only received a formal complaint for one of them.

This wave of book bans is not, as politicians and parents claim, a crusade to save children’s innocent souls from graphic depictions of the real world. This is a group of people trying to control the minds of kids by deciding what they should and should not be able to read about.

Even if a school district does not face such a problem, it is vital for it to continue promoting free thinking and discussion of sensitive topics.

Those leading the book bans want to craft a narrative that excludes some communities and upholds others, all at the sake of millions of kids’ livelihoods, self-esteem and satisfaction.

OFF THE SHELVES Florida and Texas have started a new wave of book bans that aim to create a narrative that excludes people of color and in the LGBTQ+ community.

Starting your first day of high school, throwing your cap in the air at graduation and getting accepted into college are some of the biggest milestones of a teenager’s life. However, there is no goal more important to a high-schooler than obtaining the right to drive.

Being a certified driver is a symbol of independence and maturity that’s hard to match.

Oftentimes, teens have to rely on their parents to take them to school and social events. Constantly being an Uber for their kids can become a hefty burden. Ask any parent, and they’re bound to have stories about ride-coordinating chaos and the pains of 24/7 chauffeur service.

Getting your license can be a breath of fresh air for you and your parents. After years of not being able to hang out with friends because you don’t have a ride, the freedom to jump in the car and take off is incredibly refreshing.

Earning the right to drive after committing time and effort is not only a rewarding experience, but it promotes responsibility in growing teens. For those interested in a job, a license makes getting to work easier and shows your employer that you’re accountable and available.

Some argue that putting 16-year-olds lacking experience on the road is too dangerous. An analysis published by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety revealed that drivers between the ages of 16 and 17 are more likely to be involved in car accidents than any other age group, causing more injuries and deaths.

But while younger drivers are at higher risk of accidents, keeping them off the roads won’t help prepare them either. If experience is the factor in question, it stands to reason that people who start driving at any later age won’t fare any better.

Instead, drivers should start training as early as possible, while gaining practical experience through test rides accompanied by a trusted adult.

For parents dealing with mood-swing-prone teens that are difficult to bond with, this can be a prime opportunity to share driving stories and teach valuable lessons. And for teens with worried parents, showing off your driving skills in real-time means they’ll be less likely to have a heart attack every time you turn on the ignition.

The maturity that comes with driving includes the dreary realm of finances. Haters will go on and on about additional, expensive gas prices, but those hit everybody. Trying to wait out a usually unpredictable economy is a game you won’t win and probably don’t want to play at all.

On the other hand, the costs of car insurance can present a quick turn-off to teens eager to drive - or more likely, to their parents. It’s true that insurance companies tend to charge much higher rates for younger drivers, who are more liable to get into accidents and display reckless road behavior.

However, that’s still no reason to hold off on getting your license. Drivers with longer histories of accident-free driving are charged less for their auto insurance. Do your (parent’s) wallet a favor by obtaining your license. After you do so, the cost of insurance will decrease over time, meaning that it’ll cost less when you do decide to start driving regularly.

On a slightly gloomier note, the ability to get out of the house is particularly valuable on those rougher nights. We’ve all experienced a fight with our parents, or just had a bad day, and needed personal space that goes beyond our bedroom walls. Whether it’s going to the gym, crying in the car or grabbing ice cream to enjoy in solitude, driving yourself somewhere that isn’t home can offer comfort and time to evaluate your mental state.

Obtaining a driver’s license cultivates responsibility and independence, as well as provides personal and financial benefits. No longer will you be a mandatory passenger princess. The sooner you’re able to get behind the wheel, the better.