Attack on Books, Teachers, Librarians?

 

 I grew up in a cotton mill village in the 40’s in Columbus, GA. Neither of my parents finished high school. They had to drop out and helped with the farming in the middle of the depression. But both were readers. The Bible, 0f course but also books, books, books about everything. My mother  even subscribed to the Book of the Month Club then. Monthly all kinds of books found their way to our mail box. Salespeople knocked on our door and talked them into buying the one-volume Lincoln Library. Another person told my parents that the World Book Encyclopedias would make their children smart. 

AsI grew older maybe twelve or thirteen I would board the bus on Saturdays and head for the Carnegie Library three miles away. I discovered a treasure in that Georgia library. I would pilfer through the stacks and brought home Tom Swift and the Hardy Boys series. But these beginnings expanded to all kinds of books. And my mind was stretched and my imagination was deeply stirred.

My parents never checked the books I read. And in some of those volumes I learned about our country. These who believed and sacrificed for the rest of us. But I also read the way Indians were treated. Those awful days of slavery and the terrible Civil War. Curious I read books about sexuality, other religions besides Baptist and all those who lived beyond our borders. The door opened wide to a larger and wonderful world.

And so when I read that this is Banned Books Week I said yes. The theme for this year’s week is “Let Freedom Read.” I have studied the multitude of banned books from schools and libraries and been appalled. Over 3,362 books have been banned in the last year. And the list continues to grow.  I have read many of those books they now call dangerous. 

 I find myself furious that school administrators and teachers have been charged with ugly names like groomers and pedophiles. Some have even lost their jobs. Others have even faced death threats. School Board meetings have become a nightmare. All because of books? I have known librarians in many places where I lived. They are mostly kind and helpful even when many still make only a pittance.  

When both my children left home for college it was scary. We dropped one at a dorm in Louisville and another in Chicago. And this was a grief. Night after night we wondered if they were safe. But we had to let them go discovering that freedom is scary but so important for maturity.  

This country was founded on a dream of freedom. Since our beginnings we have struggled to make that dream a reality. But I do not want some group out there badgering teachers and administrators and monitoring how children must think. But not only children.

So I applaud this year’s Banned Books theme. “Let freedom ring.” Let it be so for your land and mine. And for us all.

--Roger Lovette / rogerlovette.blogspot.com