Eva Ludwig
Nearly everyone has heard the saying “knowledge is power,” but this statement carries great implications: when access to knowledge is restricted, so is power.
Throughout history, censorship has been used by governments to construct or force narratives upon groups of people. Recently, the Trump administration’s crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion programs has reignited these concerns, particularly in the form of book banning. Just last month, famous actress Julianne Moore’s children’s book, “Freckleface Strawberry,” about a girl learning to stop hating her freckles, was banned from Pentagon-run schools for its anti-discrimination and pro-identity messaging, raising concerns about how far governments will go to shape discourse — and whether such restrictions are justified.
According to Poets, Essayist, Novelist America, more than 10,000 book bans occurred in public schools during the 2023-2024 school year. Many Aragon students and staff have felt disturbed by this recent rise in the use of book banning, especially against progressive and inclusive messaging.
“Until recently, it seemed like something from olden times, sort of akin to Jim Crow or segregation laws,” said Holly Estrada, Advanced Placement English Language and Composition and Advanced Standing English 1 teacher. “It was terrible, but it’s from the hazy days of the 1950s, and [it’s something that] we’ve learned [from], and something that’s passed now. In the last five years, it’s become something really, really, really scary. It seems that a lot of really thoughtful, powerful, organized people have seen that they can come for a lot of our strength by coming for our books.”
For Estrada, the idea of unlimited access to knowledge is incredibly valuable. She acknowledges that while some books may contain controversial or even dangerous ideas, their existence serves a purpose.
“I don’t think that banning books is ever appropriate,” Estrada said. “I remember being a teenager and having [a] friend. We went into the library and he was like, ‘Oh, here’s this book about how to make Molotov cocktails’ … or ‘Oh, here’s Mein Kampf’. I love that those books are out there in the world, but that doesn’t mean that I think they should be brought to every audience. It’s great to be able to know what was on Hitler’s mind so that you can build your counterargument. Do I think that book should be handed over to a young person? Do I think that book should be taught in school? I wouldn’t want to do it or defend that decision. But banning books? No, I’m not good with it.”
Junior Sylvia Demeule had a similar dismay that the bans were indicative of a movement towards problematic history, rather than progress.
“It makes me pretty frustrated because I feel like it’s a step backward,” Demeule said. “It’s very reminiscent of totalitarian dictatorships and really bad people who are obviously evil, and it feels very wrong.”
Aragon Teacher Librarian Anna Lapid has felt a similar concern regarding the idea of book banning, though she does understand there can be warranted concern from parents on a student-to-student basis.
“[Book banning is] a killer of free thinking or critical thinking, and hampers students from making up their own mind about ideas,” Lapid said. “I don’t think it’s okay for anyone to determine whether patrons at a library can have access to information, [although] I think it’s okay for parents to object to a book and to have a conversation with a librarian about a book that might be triggering for their student.”
These bans have been a cause of great unrest among students, especially for those interested in learning about discrimination and different cultural experiences.
“I feel a lot of anger and a lot of sadness that people feel the need to control and regulate what other people read because reading should be a process in which you have a lot of free choices,” said senior Chloe Levadoux. “‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ is a phenomenal book that I read recently, and it’s banned in schools in Florida, Texas and Oregon, which is horrifying because it’s about women’s rights, about the patriarchy, and it’s really frustrating to see that those books are still getting pushed out [of schools]. There’s also a book called ‘Braiding Sweetgrass’ that I’m reading right now that’s banned in both the Carolinas that’s about indigenous knowledge and ways of life.”
For Levadoux, the idea of her school limiting her access to books feels like a restriction of her freedom.
“I’d be angry,” Levadoux said. “I’d be really broken-hearted, because if the school thinks that, as someone who’s basically an adult, I shouldn’t read those books, that indicates that they’re trying to take away my autonomy when really I should be learning to be autonomous at this age.”
For Aragon History teacher Jennifer Seif, timing is a very important lens for understanding when teachers should introduce books in classes.
“There’s an appropriate time to introduce different levels of texts to learners,” Seif said. “And that’s a conversation that should include parents, administrators, teachers, academic professionals. It’s not a cookie cutter, one size fits all. For example, I wouldn’t be introducing kids to the Holocaust in a kindergarten classroom.”
Not only is book banning often used to harm certain groups, people may see book censorship as being ironic in a democratic America.
“I would feel upset [if Aragon banned books] because people have the right to acquire knowledge and books are a great way of doing that,” Demeule said. “It goes very much against American ideals of individualism and freedom to not let people access knowledge through books. I would be upset and try to find a way around it.”
Luckily for students worried about the impact of these bans at school, Aragon has remained relatively free from them.
“I actually appreciate that … guidance from the school, so I would not have a problem with banning a book in the library if a principal or a school board objects,” Lapid said. “But that [hasn’t] happened in our school district … So far, we haven’t had any requests to ban any books that [people] have wanted to read.”
As the debate over book banning continues nationwide, its impact on education, free expression, and access to diverse perspectives remains a critical issue.
