Letter to the editor: Book bans show that parents are concerned

The article “Hempfield is latest district to face book ban challenge” leads the reader to a conclusion that book challenges are wrong. The article states that 330 challenges were made in the last three months of 2021 compared with 156 in 2020, according to the American Library Association.

What does that number indicate? Just more parents are concerned about their children’s education. The article talks about a national trend and highlights a case of a school district banning a book and state legislatures limiting sexual material in books in schools. Guess what? Those actions taken are within the powers of those bodies of elected representatives.

Parents have a right to ask schools to remove books from the shelves. All have a right to direct the school to act as they wish. Schools should act as directed by parents and citizens, not the media. When a person reaches legal age, then they may make their own decisions on what they read.

I don’t agree with censorship of a book on the market. We have to avoid book burning by society, like Ray Bradbury wrote about in “Fahrenheit 451.”

All this parent involvement on either side of the issue is fantastic. It can only make for better education for our students. Our school boards and state legislatures need our input and involvement.

Keep reporting the news, Tribune-Review, but keep it in balance.

John A. Waite

South Greensburg