Book Banning...

[Michele]

There is talk of a new ban on the Harry Potter books in school libraries because of the recent "outing" of one of it's characters.

Question:

Should any books be banned in school libraries? If so, which kinds of books? What topics should be avoided?

[Book Wizard]

I think what children read should be up to the parents, not the schools.

[abcNKH]

All the emphasis on tolerance in schools these days and they want to ban a book for having a gay character? What hypocrites...

[justGina]

Especially since his orientation is never even hinted upon, let alone a relationship described. :wtf2:

Did that make sense? :lol:

[kingclick]

Should any books be banned in school libraries? If so, which kinds of books? What topics should be avoided?

Ones that teach kids how to make bombs. Ones that have explicit sexual content. Ones that have gratuitous violence.

[Def.I.Nition]

Ones that teach kids how to make bombs. Maybe.


Ones that have explicit sexual content. Well, there goes an excuse to re-ban Ulyses.

[Book Wizard]

You're right, Def... Ulysses is frequently banned from schools. If you go by what King said, All of Shakespeare would be banned too as well as all the useful books which help kids with the normal changes in their bodies. I have thought about this every timee the subject comes up. If the books banned from the schools were not in the public library, I would check my own private library. If I didn't already have the banned books, I would immediately buy them and make them available to my children. We would read them and discuss why they were banned from their school.

Parents should determine what their children read, not the schools.

[Terrell]

In the case of the Potter books no. J.K. Rowling didn't out Dumbledore, until she was directly asked by a woman fan about his love life.

Now as to the banning of books from school libraries, I would be hesitant to ban books, but I could understand keeping school libraries age apropriate. (though that's still pretty tough since different children mature at different rates and different parents have different ideas about what's apropriate). I could see the more obvious things banned, from school libraries, for example I don't think that The Punishment Club or books of a similiar nature would be apropiate for kids of any age, since that book should be in an adult book store.

[Shannie-Poo]

I think we should ban books with the nursey rhymes. Whats up with those?

Rub a dub dub, three men in a tub? Why my goodness, thats downright homosexual right there.

Old lady who lived in a shoe, obviously she was a whore.

(insert eye roll here) LOL

I agree with King about the bomb ones, however kids just get on the internet nowadays to look up that information. Depends on the age of the children, a book about explicit sex shouldnt be in middle schools but allowed in junior high. Age and material appropriate books should be different in the schools.

If your kid reads a book about a character who happens to be gay, that doesnt mean your child is going to turn. If your child reads a book about sex, that doesnt mean they are going to go right out and jump on someone. Besides taking away these books and banning them just makes kids all the more curious and will find the means to get the book to see what all the fuss is about. Betcha the fuss is from the parents and the kids fail to see what the problem is.

[jitobear]

Keep it at reading levels appropriate for the age group using said library. No porn.

Thats it.

Under absolutely no circumstances should books be banned from public libraries, bookstores, etc. And no, Harry Potter should not be banned. (good greif!)

[BAmaracas]

It's a lie. No one is banning Harry Potter books.

[Jokimoto]

Thank God I've already got my copy of The Anarchist Cookbook. \o/

[ArcticPhoenix]

There is talk of a new ban on the Harry Potter books in school libraries because of the recent "outing" of one of it's characters.

Question:

Should any books be banned in school libraries? If so, which kinds of books? What topics should be avoided?

The only material that should be banned from school libraries is material that is illegal for a minor to view.

[eva]

I think a school librarian knows that it is part of her job to keep her library age-appropriate. That's not banning, as much as it is doing the job you were hired to do. That being said, it can surely be tricky sometimes! Have you read the Gossip Girls series? When it's questionable like that, it should be up to the parents.

The o/p reason to ban is ridiculous. Like Gina said...the only reason anyone would know he has a gay background is the author. And that shows how much I don't know about writing books, because I think it's kind of strange to have a backstory like that not written down. Or maybe it was written and the editors gave it the kibosh, so she "outed" Dumbledore just to get back at them? Who knows. It made me think she was a little weird, frankly, but whatever.

[Terrell]

The o/p reason to ban is ridiculous. Like Gina said...the only reason anyone would know he has a gay background is the author. And that shows how much I don't know about writing books, because I think it's kind of strange to have a backstory like that not written down. Or maybe it was written and the editors gave it the kibosh, so she "outed" Dumbledore just to get back at them? Who knows. It made me think she was a little weird, frankly, but whatever.


I mentioned why J. K. Rowling outed Dumbledore in Post # 8 (http://www.theconversationcafe.com/forums/showpost.php?p=384766&postcount=8)

In the case of the Potter books no. J.K. Rowling didn't out Dumbledore, until she was directly asked by a woman fan about his love life.

[alberthitchens]

it shouldn't be banned, or anything else for that matter. i think you let any and everything become available and parents should decide what their kids should read.