I write a banned
books post every year. Weeks ago I wrote a reminder in my planner to get it
written so that I would be able to post it the first day of Banned Books Week.
Here it is Tuesday, and I got nothing.
Know why?
Because I’ve already written about why it’s so important for us as a society to celebrate our right to read. I even had a few of my teen students share their thoughts on banning books. I’ve written about literature being a light in the darkness, our way to gain knowledge and experience other cultures, other lives,
other beliefs, teaching us empathy and compassionate and hopefully, little by
little, eradicating our prejudices and ignorance. I wrote about why I read banned books, why I will continue to fight for books, even those books I find offensive and disagree with.
I became a
teacher because, as idealistic and naïve as it may sound, I truly believe that
education—books—can save this world. I believe it is the only thing that can. I
love my job and my students so very much—every single day I’m excited to get in
the classroom and work with an amazing group of teens. But that doesn’t mean it
isn’t difficult, or frustrating, or that some days I don't wish I’d become a
plumber because I’d probably make more money and wade through less…excrement. J
But I do my job,
day in and day out, because I believe in what I do. I believe in the students
that I teach, know the impact they will have on this world, and hope and pray
that I am able to impart some wisdom, teach them to think, help them to
navigate the harsh realities of this world and see the beauty in it.
I’m fairly quiet
online because I am not quiet in my real life. I advocate for my students every
single day. They make me better every single day.
Don’t tie my
hands behind my back. Let me, as a teacher, use the tools I need. Books truly
are a way to show students they are not alone. And they not only find
themselves in those pages, but they see the face of humanity, they see those
who do not look like them, speak like them, act like them, and they see that
they, too, are human. They, too, are worthy of respect and compassion and
consideration.
It’s not
surprising that the highest percentage of challenged books are young-adult
books. But as a teacher, as a writer, as a reader, I’m begging you: Don’t send
the message that young-adult books are shameful. In doing so, we tell teens
that they are shameful. We take away the chance to have them work through much
of what they are experiencing in a safe and controlled way. We take away their
chance to find understanding and truth.
I have dedicated
my life to books, and I will passionately defend the right of each and every
one of you to have access to those books.
Huh. Guess I had more to say than I thought.
