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September 30th- October 6th marks the 30th anniversary of Banned Books Week. This week is dedicated to the books that were banned because of censorship rules and it also encourages readers to celebrate their freedom to read.
Even the books that are considered classics by scholars have been banned or challenged due to offensive language or violence. Student Lilly Higdon said, “I think it’s kind of stupid like, The Hunger Games ban because of “anti-family” reasons.” Many of these books are student favorites, and most students don’t agree that the subjects in these books are bad enough for them to be banned
Others do think that these books are banned for a good reason. Mrs. Young, the school library aid, said “I think some of the books aren’t really age appropriate for the students, but I do agree that people should be allowed their freedom to read.” A few of these books have mature content like sexual references, drug use, and offensive language. Depending on the reader, these books may not be appropriate.
Some of these books are summer reading books that students have been assigned. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck has been challenged because of vulgar language and racial slurs. Mrs. Panagos said, “The language used in Of Mice and Men tries to depict the time period and the working class, but the moral lessons of the book outweigh the language.”
Banned Books Week is a celebration of the students’ freedom to read. Students are encouraged to visit the library this week to vote for their favorite banned book.
