Argumentative Essay of Banning Books

Adults should not be allowed to ban books. My first reason is that reading encourages empathy and you can pick up some important social skills. A study that was published in Basic and Applied Social Psychology found that, “People who read a story about a Muslim woman were less likely to make broad judgments based on race.” This tells us that it’s important for kids to be taught about diversity and equality at a young age so they don’t say anything rude towards a person that may look different. In addition, author Neil Gamon stated that “fiction builds empathy…You get to feel things, visit places, and worlds you would never otherwise know.” Getting to learn about other people and where/how they live can open up your mind. Empathy is an important trait to have so you can understand how others are feeling.

My second reason is that adults should monitor their own kid’s reading and not others. The National Coalition Against Censorship  explains, “Even books or materials that many find ‘objectionable’ may have educational value, and the decision about what to use in the classroom should be based on professional judgements and standards, not individual preferences.” This explains that all parents have different ideas as to when kids should be taught about certain topics and that professional judgements can be the best way to decide when. An article called Banned Books Pros and Cons also mentions that adults who don’t think certain books are appropriate for their children can opt them out without affecting other students' accessibility of books. A lot of children react in a positive manner when learning about important topics like Racism and LGBTQ+ because they will understand more of what people have gone through or are currently going through. 

My third reason against adults banning books is that children should read about harmful substances at an earlier age so they are informed of the effects. Kids that are prepared for any encounter with drugs or alcohol can know some ways to say no. Although some kids can react that way, others that hear about what drugs and alcohol can do to you may make them want to consume it as a way to calm themselves or even as a way to fit in. A way to prevent that from happening could be banning those types of books from any youth accessible area. Banning books with information on drugs and alcohol from schools and libraries could mean that immature kids would not be exposed to books they are not prepared for. On the contrary, introducing the topics of drugs and alcohol to kids means that they will know how to use harm reduction strategies such as abstinence and developing drug knowledge.