Banned Book Week Post

 Books about Education

Nasreen's Secret School

What I find interesting about some of the books that some groups or people object to is how many of them are about children, usually though not always girls, who struggle or advocate for education.  A selection of titles that some people believe are inappropriate or should not used include: I am Malala, Nasreen’s Secret School, The Story of Ruby Bridges, Bibloburro. 

               Sometimes the reasons for the book banning is because the belief that the book promotes religion  - always a religion that is not Christian; or that the story uses racially charged language (such as the insults that Bridges was forced to endure).   Sometimes it is because of poverty or violence.  It is strange though that the one thing these books about trying to get and education or to read have in common – the heroes or heroines are by and large not white.

               But it isn’t entirely limited to books about young girls of color.  Recently in Tennessee, Moms for Liberty released a book review list of the Wit and Wisdom curriculum books.  This list includes a book about Galileo, Starry Messenger, which apparently should not be read because the Church is not seen in a good light, that there should be books that mention a hero of the Church or the good things that the Church did (though the language in the reasons also suggests that Messenger should also do this).  Interesting because for Galileo the Church was the Catholic church (the term Catholic is not used on the list, however.  Just the Church).  There is not one single Christian Church.  Additionally, considering how the Church treated Galileo why would a Hero of the Church be part of his story?  It should also be noted that the book list includes history books so one would presume the good things the Church (whichever church) did would be mentioned there.

               It is impossible to look at the various banned book lists (the Moms for Liberty and Central York listings being only two examples) and see not a only an assault on books by people of color but also books about learning.  The importance of reading about different races is obvious. Repeated studies have shown that it makes people more empathic to read about those different than the them.  But the controlling and banning of books that concern education is equally important.  On a direct level, you could argue that banning book such as I am Malala  is suggesting that education is only for white people.  But it also suggests that education and knowledge are not important.  Or to be more exact, something to be controlled and contained so people – those people  (that race, that gender) – do not rise above their station.  Do not challenge ideas or even think.

               Which is precisely what the governments and groups that people Malala, Ruby Bridges, and Nasreen challenged also believed. 

               Funny that.