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Feature photo: The news of the possible “ban” on the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary Tenth Edition spread internationally and caused some outraged feedback from parents, as many felt the dictionary was not the problem. As one parent pointed out:
“That is not the worst word in the dictionary. Kids are going to be exposed to things, and it is the parents’ job to explain it to them, not the teachers’ or the school district’s (job).”
This argument is nothing new. In some places, other banned books include: Katherine Paterson’s Bridge to Terabithia, for its display of disrespect towards adults; Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, for its use of the ‘n’ word; and even J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series for its use of witchcraft.
Those are just a few. Is it just me, or do the themes of friendship, youthful determination and overcoming oppression completely override any negative aspects of these books?
Some teens, however, do realize the importance of reading whatever the hell you want to read.
For example, take the girl who kept a lending library of banned books inside her locker. She encouraged students to borrow from the 62 banned books inside her locker, with everything from The Perks of Being a Wallflower to Animal Farm. The makeshift library provided students with a way to read these classics without the risk of getting in trouble with parents.
Give the girl a freaking medal.
In the end, students in southern California were given the option of using an alternative dictionary to the one temporarily removed, but are still able to use the old. Next assignment: an essay on the definition of “ignorance” and how to prevent it.
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What do you think, is it justified to ban certain books? The dictionary?
Candice Walsh
Candice is a travel writer and blogger currently stationed in St. John’s, Newfoundland. When she’s not shooting whiskey and hitting on men, she’s eating nachos and dreaming about her next big adventure. Check out her blog, Candice Does the World.
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Yeah, it’s more than a little infuriating. I feel like if people ban books and make a big deal out of it, wouldn’t that entice kids to read them more anyway? I certainly would…
Sabina’s idea of getting rid of all books has been used, already, sorry! In Fahrenheit 451 (just saw the movie not long ago–somewhat hokey but powerful stuff!).
You would be surprised if you’ve never seen a list of books that have been banned at one time or another. Here’s one the American Library Assn. puts out: http://tinyurl.com/n6w3et . But I don’t think a dictionary is on it. That’s taking what’s already an absurd idea to its absurdist extreme, imho.
BTW, I’d love to recruit the banned-book-locker-girl to be a librarian–she’s got the main idea!
Communication is key … and lack of, creates a void that will fill with something, probably worse than the original item. I first learned what “sexual intercourse” really was by reading a dictionary, then learning more in the encyclopedia. And that was before the web was around.
If parents don’t want the school to teach it, then they need to get involved and discuss it themselves with their kids. If you don’t tell your kids what your thoughts and feelings and understandings are, their friends will and your kids may get all the wrong information. They are going to find out eventually – it is inevitable, else you live in a cult and locked out of the real world.
The books should be a source of discussion not banning. Even if only restricted, but allowed by parent permission slip. Then the parents need to discuss it and not restrict it. The more you refuse something without explaination, the more it is desired by the kids. And a little knowledge can be dangerous, or a little exposure can show it is really no big deal.
Ignornace is only lack of knowledge. Stupidity is having knowledge and not applying it.
Wow when will the madness end? Banning the dictionary is probably the most idiotic thing I’ve ever heard of. What’s next, other reference books? Are they going to ban encyclopedias and thesauruses? Kids can be curious (I mean I’m sure we all looked up the word sex in grade school and had a giggle with out friends). Eventually they’ll find out about certain words and phrases. At least a dictionary is a pretty harmless way to learn about this. Unless of course this particular dictionary included detailed instructions with bonus tips and pictures or something. But it just seems like a major overreaction from a group of small minded people.
And that girl with her secret library, she should be commended, given a full scholarship for university or something. I hope she knows that she’s doing something fantastic and noble, she’s giving people the opportunity to see the world from another perspective, she’s opening people’s minds by letting them read books. Years from now she can look back and be proud she had the courage to stand up for what she believed in, not everyone would be so bold. Because as one of my favourite authors Hunter S Thompson once said “Freedom is something that dies unless it is used.”
some people are retards, banning harry potter for use of witchcraft? Jesus what has our world come to?