Argumentative Essay: Banning Books In Public Schools

Words: 886
Pages: 4

Did you know that, “more than 11,000 book challenges have been reported in public schools and libraries” (Finnan). Books are a powerful thing. They teach people history, imagination, and many important life lessons. Many parents or adults are challenging libraries of books that they believe that some books If the library agrees with what they are saying, than the book goes off the shelf in that library. A lot of books have been banned by many libraries around the world. The most banned books include: Harry Potter, To Kill a Mockingbird, Tango Makes Three, and more. Banning books should not be allowed, but people should censor what they or their kids read rather than banning it for many people.
First, banning books is a form of censorship or freedom of speech. Christopher M. Finnan states that, “this shocks most Americans, who rightly believe that the Bill of Rights promises us free speech. But the First Amendment did not prevent the federalists from throwing
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“The “Harry Potter” books were the most frequently challenged for several years because some people think they encourage witchcraft and magic” (Finnan 2). This evidence shows why Harry Potter has been challenged. “The study, published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology, tested whether the novels of Harry Potter could be used as a tool for improving attitudes towards stigmatized groups. After 3 experiments in which students read passages of the books about discrimination, the students showed changed attitudes about everything from immigrants to gay students. They also claim that young children, with the help of a teacher, were able to understand that Harry’s frequent support of “mudbloods” was an allegory towards bigotry in real-life society” (Seiter 4). This evidence shows the power that the Harry Potter books can have on people, and why it’s worth reading. Overall, any book can teach and inspire people in so many