The article, “Hempfield book policies up for future vote with further revision” (July 10, TribLIVE), states that the school district is banning pictures of female breasts. How perverse. I believe this book banning thing has gone too far. Are we going back to the Spanish Inquisition with banning books and burning women at the stake?
Book banning is the most widespread form of censorship in the U.S. It is promoted by Moms for Liberty, a successor to the John Birch Society, which was a conspiracy-obsessed political fringe group, which also tried book banning. Moms for Liberty is funded by far-right political groups and has been labeled an extremist organization by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Books help children develop empathy for others. They expand one’s knowledge and understanding of our very complex and diverse world. Choosing age-appropriate books should be left to the professionals. We need to show teachers our trust and respect their expertise. Having individual parents choose books leads to chaos and confusion.
In this age of the internet, with all sort of information at our children’s finger tips, banning books seems like an exercise in futility
Sandy Kremer
Youngwood