Banned Books

The ABCs of Book Banning, now showing on Paramount Plus, was produced and directed by a woman in her eighties, Sheila Nevins, winner of  32 Prime Time Emmys.

In an interview with Scott Simon on NPR this morning, Nevins said something like this: 

 "If you want your children to grow up to  be just like you and you have a narrow world view, you may want to be sure your children have the exact same world view you do, not to encounter anything that challenges it...."

Nevens was inspired by a hundred-year-old woman who's fighting to stop book banning.  In a very clear and powerful voice, this centenarian activist tells about her late husband who died in WWII.  "He fought and died for the Constitution and freedom.  One of the freedoms he fought for is the freedom freedom to read what we want to read, including these books that are now being banned." 

Children featured in The ABCs of Book Banning  are incredibly articulate in expressing their anger and confusion,  that books they want to read are no longer available in their Florida school libraries--books like The Kite Runner, Diary of Anne Frank, The Handmaid's Tale, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Life of Rosa Parks.  (Over 2000 books have been banned in classrooms and libraries in Florida and other states.) 

Here's the interview: https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-saturday/

So what are some of  the narrow world views that many adults do not want to disrupt or challenge?

That all our ancestors were good and noble people?  Nothing evil was ever done by them? That they played no part in slavery? 

That our amiable ancestors sat down with the Native Americans for a friendly Thanksgiving feast?

That America is a Christian nation, and Christianity the only viable religion?

That reading about gay or trans people will influence their children to be gay or trans?

That the Holocaust never happened?

As a former English teacher, I remember so many lively conversations with high school and college students about books that are now on the banned books list. I am shocked and infuriated that current students will be denied these mind-expanding books.