Why do institutions ban books in the first place, and how does that take away valuable learning experiences for students?

People often avoid uncomfortable subjects in an effort to spare themselves emotional distress. In theory, avoiding anything that provokes discomfort sounds appealing. In practice, it rarely works that way. Avoiding uncomfortable topics limits our ability to grow, challenge our assumptions, and learn from past mistakes. This situation is the unfortunate reality of a present problem in the United States: banning and challenging literature.

Banning books is not a new concept; in the United States, the process dates back to the colonial era. Considered the first banned book in North America, Thomas Morton's New English Canaan was banned by the Puritan Church in 1637 because it criticized Puritan customs and beliefs. As a result, members of the Puritan community were largely exposed only to ideas that reinforced their own beliefs. Such historical examples suggest that limiting people to a single viewpoint can deepen polarization and marginalize minority voices, discouraging or limiting independent thought. Unfortunately, history often repeats itself, and banning books remains an issue in modern America.

In 2025, the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom tracked 4,235 titles that were challenged in libraries and school systems. This was the second-highest number of challenged books documented in a single year—the highest occurring in 2023, just two years before—underscoring the scale of the issue. Of these challenged books, 39% represented the lived experiences of people of color and LGBTQIA+ individuals. While challenging differs from banning, as banning means the challenge was ultimately upheld, that does not diminish the significance of the fact that many Americans believe students should not have access to certain books that depict important, otherwise unsung parts of modern society and culture. The reasons these books are challenged vary, but they often stem from fear of perspectives that differ from those of the majority. For example, All American Boys by Jason Reynolds is among the ten most frequently challenged books in modern times.

All American Boys follows a Black teenager who is brutally assaulted by a white police officer during an encounter that did not warrant violence. Among the reasons for its controversy are its commentary on racial profiling, white privilege, and police brutality. Police brutality remains a pressing issue that warrants close study and understanding. Yet when schools remove books that portray these realities, students who are unlikely to experience this kind of violence firsthand lose one of the only accessible ways for them to understand its impact. While it is understandable that parents, regardless of background, may not want young children reading books with mature and uncomfortable themes, challenged books are often intended for middle and high school students. By allowing students to live the experiences of others, books help foster empathy and awareness, creating a generation that is better equipped to understand people whose lives differ from their own.

The Banned Books Club at The Pingry School in New Jersey is a high school club that reads books that have been banned or challenged, including All American Boys, Monday's Not Coming, All the Bright Places, Speak, Sold, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and The Handmaid's Tale. Through these books, members have explored topics including racism, mental health, sexual assault, authoritarianism, and more. Sold by Patricia McCormick, which the club read in 2025, introduced members to a topic they had previously known very little about: human trafficking in India. The story follows a young girl who is sold into prostitution by her stepfather. While it was a disturbing and deeply uncomfortable read, it also exposed members to an unsettling global issue that they had previously overlooked. The value of the novel was only confirmed further when some students were inspired to conduct further research after reading, to increase their understanding of modern human trafficking. But although members of this specific club had the opportunity to learn more about global issues, students across the country whose literature is censored may never encounter these realities.

This year, the Banned Books Club brainstormed ways to share the ideas discussed in their meetings with the broader school community. They ultimately created a podcast to discuss these books and explain why they matter. The club recorded two episodes, one on The Perks of Being a Wallflower and another on The Handmaid's Tale. During these discussions, students focused on topics such as the stigma surrounding mental health, the effects of domestic and sexual assault, the challenges posed by authoritarian governments, and the impact of societal roles on people. The podcasts were shared with the entire school community, raising awareness about challenged books and, hopefully, inspiring others to read them.

Many students have limited access to literature because of censorship, preventing them from understanding different perspectives and learning about current and historical events. If this continues, the ability of the United States to address new and enduring flaws within its society will only be held back. As such, those with unrestricted access to literature should continue reading books that others cannot easily obtain and encourage others to do the same. Literature has the power to connect people across different experiences and perspectives, but for that to happen, we cannot continue shielding young people from ideas simply because they are deemed "uncomfortable." Instead, we must learn to embrace the difficult conversations that are necessary to overcome past barriers and build a better future.

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Works Cited 

"Book Banning in the United States and Beyond." Harvard Gutman Library, 29 Sept. 2025, guides.library.harvard.edu/c.php?g=1269000&p=9306840. Accessed 27 June 2026. "Censorship by the Numbers: Banned Books Data", American Library Association, March 20, 2023 

https://www.ala.org/bbooks/book-ban-data (Accessed June 26, 2026) 

Document ID: 45e94335-c2b4-4196-9558-3382e12b6739