In 2023, the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom documented 4,240 unique books that were targeted for censorship, reaching the highest level recorded by the association. While that number slightly decreased in the first eight months of 2024, it is still significantly higher than it was before 2020. While some states have passed legislation outlawing book bans, Michigan is not one of them.
Jodie Duda, an English teacher at Troy High School, states that she has not personally had anybody object to the books taught in her classroom. She adds that the community is very supportive and “trusting that the books that we use in classrooms have been vetted and are of literary merit.” She also says that there are alternatives for any student that objects to reading certain books. While these alternatives vary, Duda reiterates that students are provided with a choice.
Toni Isaac, the library media specialist at Troy High School, lists some reasons people try to ban books. She states that in addition to politically motivated bans, some others have “mature content, books make people feel sad [and] books deal with social issues that make people feel uncomfortable.” While this certainly is not a comprehensive list, these are some of the biggest reasons for bans.
If someone wants to ban a book at Troy High School, Isaac describes the process. The current process involves an official review by a committee composed of administrators, teachers, at least one parent and at least one student. The committee’s decision is given to the school superintendent, who makes the final decision about whether the book stays on the shelves.
As it mainly affects them, many students have opinions on book bans. Zahra Husain, an Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition student, provides her take on book bans. She believes that “books are a really good opportunity for people to learn about themselves and the rest of the world,” adding that banning books essentially robs people of this knowledge. Husain shared that many of her classmates also disapprove of book bans, with efforts to ban specific titles often resulting in confusion amongst her peers.
However, these students’ opinions aren’t just recent. Laura Liamini, an Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition teacher, recalls a conversation she had with a student when book banning started to become more prevalent. She recalls a private conversation from years ago with a student, who asked “‘Ms. Liamini, what’s happening? Why are they taking away our books?’”
While book banning is a divisive issue, when asked for any titles that should be banned, Liamini states that “it’s about an individual reader’s discretion. Researching books, deciding what is something that’s a good fit for their values, their worldviews [and] what’s the right level of maturity.”
