Why Are So Many Schools Banning Books?
If you’ve been on the internet at all lately, you’ve probably noticed that book bans are taking up a lot of space in the headlines. Some Florida classrooms with bare bookshelves recently went viral, reigniting heated debates around the country.
Teachers removing books in Florida are doing so in response to HB 1467, a bill championed by Governor DeSantis. But it’s not just one person, or even one state, that is challenging access to education and literature right now. Texas has banned hundreds of books in the last few months. The Rust Belt states are enacting anti-book policies as well: Pennsylvania is top-three in book bans, restrictions have popped up in Wisconsin, and some Michigan residents even opted to defund their library over its refusal to remove LGBTQ+ books.
As Michigan’s example hints, it’s not all books that are being banned and it’s not random books that are being banned. It is specifically books tied to identity and oppression. It’s books that explore marginalized identities, books that tell stories outside of the white, straight Christian experience. It’s books that provide accurate information about human bodies and sexuality. Take a look at what is actually being restricted:
To be clear, the “sexual content” category also contains educational books on puberty and other age-appropriate books about pregnancy, abortion, and relationships.
This is part of a systematic denial of oppression, part of the backlash to equity we’re seeing all across America. We believe there is a clear path forward though, one that includes meeting women at their values. We know that a lot of the parents who favor these anti-education policies do so because they really care about kids—their kids. This is especially apparent when it comes to books and curriculum that talk about race and racism, which some people call “critical race theory.” Parents don’t want their kids to experience shame when presented with shameful American history, so avoiding the topic of racism in schools can feel like the best way to protect kids. But avoiding these conversations doesn’t help anyone. Educational ads like this one address those fears and offer a way forward that supports all children.
This year we’ll be reaching our audience with similar messages that cut through the noise and help them make sense of big issues from book bans to inflation to democracy and voting so that we can build an America where everyone can thrive.
