Book Censoring

In my opinion, CENSORING SUCKS!



In my high school English class, I was assigned to do a book report in a banned book. The goal of this project was for a teenager to be able to form a strong opinion and express it in an effective way.



Well I have some strong opinions that need to be expressed!

Before you read this, I would first like to tell you that I AM conservative. I don't believe in sex before marriage, its not one of my morals or even to curse frequently. I'm just telling it how it is. This world, unfortunately, is filled with bad stuff, but try as you might, everyone gets exposed to it. Even girls that are raised in convents.



But first, a question to ponder on while you read this: Do you believe in the privelege of censoring books. Why?



Because my school does not support the book censoring, all books that can be found on ALA's list of most challenged books, excluding the few obvious ones that are just not appropriate for any one under 21 (i.e, Sex by Madonna) and sex education books, can be found in my school's library. The book that I chose to research on was TTYL. I read it, researched, it and came up with an opinion about it. Its safe to say that you can guess what my opinion is. TTYL should not be banned.



Though their opinions dont match mine, I can't help but question why people think that TTYL should be lifted from middle school and high school libraries. Their answers?



"Curse words, crude references to male and female anatomy, sex acts and adult situations like drinking alcohol and flirtation with a teacher that almost goes too far" found in Robert P. Doyles Banned Book in an article by Melissa J. Morgan(p. 117).



So let me just say the obvious and cliche " Your kid will alsways be around ojectionable content like curse words and crude references to anatomy. Whats the big deal if they can read it in a book?"



Truthfully, if you teen hasn't heard the word 'fuck' at least once in their life, then your child is either way too sheltered, lives in under a rock, or your sex life, as an adult, sucks! (If you get what I'm saying.)



I get, although, that some parents are conscious about the sexual and adult activities that the girls mention. The girls talk about orgasms, sex, bodily functions, and relationships that are inappropriate. But what I think that is great about this book, it that TTYL can touch subjects that hit teenagers problems and thoughts everyday without glorifying them and instead tells how they can get through and solve their problems efffectively.



Personally, I don't think that this book be recommended to all teenage girls (becuase I mean, lets get real, some are just not as mature as others) but I do NOT think that it should be lifted from libraries because some are not as mentally or emotionally mature as others. I also do not think that I should be banned from libraries because it does appeal to the wide range of age groups a library or school supports such as as school in Roundrock Texas where a superintendent banned TTYL from their school libraries. Well let me tell you Mr. Superintendent. If you take out that book, then you may as well be taking out all books made for 4th graders and and up. And when you do that, what will there be left to challenge those children in those grades. Hm? GPA's and Grades of your students then and in the future will drop because they didn't have access to books that will improve thier vocabulary or ability to create their own picturees because they will be stuck reading books made for kindergarteners with pictures. And so when they're having trouble with comprehension in middle school and highschool and drop out, I will blame you.

I am a person that is really open to all peoples' oppinions. I like to hear them and challenge them if I like. I am such a person that believes in the freedoms granted by our founding fathers and the constitution. So comment what you want becuase I want to hear it. This is my editorial, this is my critique. Flame me if you really want. But I want to hear it.