Tess McCluskey

Abstract:

In America, the book-banning movement has become increasingly popular, gaining momentum and power. In the 2021-2022 school year, roughly 1,648 titles were banned in districts across the country, most by authors of color or members of the LGBTQ+ community. With overall themes of race, gender, sexuality, and violence being the most targeted topics banned, there is a common trend of shutting out the books that face head-on the most controversial issues in our society. Parental groups want to shield children from gaining exposure to these issues, but the consequences of ignoring and not educating the future generation on them can be severe. Through my research, I explain the parental goals of book banning, the effects of book banning on individual students across the country, and what school boards should consider before pulling a book from their shelves.