– The surge of book bans in schools across the U.S. is alarming First Amendment advocates.
– The most targeted books are those addressing sexual and racial issues.
– Thomasina Brown, a 16-year-old Missouri student, expresses the importance of such books in understanding her personal grief and struggles.
– Advocacy group, PEN America, stands against the ban, declaring it an infringement on free speech.
The Battle Over Books
It appears that some books in U.S. schools are on the chopping block, and it’s causing quite the stir. First Amendment advocates are expressing their concerns over the growing number of book bans. Notably, the challenges have been directed at books addressing sexuality and race.
From this commotion emerges Thomasina Brown, a 16-year-old student at Nixa High School in Nixa, Missouri. Brown, through her own personal narrative, highlights the potential negative ramifications of these bans. She found solace in a memoir about a girl dealing with the grief of losing her father and overcoming her sexual identity struggles. Similar to the character in the book, Brown was also struggling with her grief and sexuality. Books like these, she asserted, provide understanding and likeness in trying times.
PEN America’s Stand
The book bans did not go unnoticed by PEN America, a group that stands up for free speech all over the world. They view such a ban as an infringement upon the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech. The group insists that the contestations aim to close down the discussion on delicate, yet important, issues relating to race and sexuality.
The Breezy Take
The growing book ban in U.S. schools is more than an issue of which pages students flip through—it’s becoming a constitutional concern. Stories like Thomasina Brown’s underline the immense value these books hold for some young people grappling with personal issues. First Amendment advocates have their work cut out, but such efforts are necessary to ensure freedom of speech isn’t curtailed—the core principle upon which America was founded. The conversation on topics of sexuality and race should not be shut down. Rather, they should be openly discussed. After all, understanding begins with conversation.
Original article: https://missouriindependent.com/2023/10/05/first-amendment-advocates-fight-growing-number-of-u-s-book-bans/