Efforts to ban books in schools and libraries across the United States have surged in recent years, raising alarms for educators, parents, and advocates of free speech.
What began as a few localized challenges to ban specific books has now skyrocketed into an organized movement, targeting titles deemed “controversial” by a vocal minority.
While some argue these bans protect children from inappropriate content, the implications are far more damaging: Book banning ruins intellectual freedom, suppresses diversity, and undermines the democratic ideals on which our country was founded.
“This is true,” said Kimberly Erives, a junior in nursing. “It’s really important to have all those things. As a nursing student, not only does it increase my knowledge, but the educational growth of the background of cultures.”
Erives works with at-home patients, supporting their needs.
“Not every patient is the same race,” she said. “It’s really important for us to learn those diverse backgrounds and learn their history because we develop this empathy in cultural care.”
The American Library Association reported 1,269 attempts to ban books in 2022 alone, more than double the previous year’s total. These efforts targeted over 2,500 individual titles, many of which focused on themes of race, gender, and sexuality.
“We’re seeing a banning of books and we’re also seeing a banning of a lot of history being taught,” said Sofia Pacheco, a fourth year major in Spanish K-12 education. “Like for example, how slavery was. That isn’t really being taught anymore in high schools just because a lot of districts don’t wanna teach that anymore. They don’t think it’s important.”
Pacheco is currently student teaching at multiple high schools in Greeley, ranging from freshmen to seniors.
“These children have no idea what’s going on,” she said, referencing the wars in Yemen and Palestine. “They’re kind of like, ‘oh well, I don’t really care because it’s not affecting me now’ and if we give them access to these books at a young age, it allows them to open up a sense of empathy.”
Pacheco accomplishes this by reading stories from kids their age, such as The Diary of Anne Frank. Students were able to deeply sympathize and develop an emotional connection with Anne as they were her age when the book was read.
“I can't even imagine going through what she went through at the age that she was,” Pacheco said. “I think it's important to know.”
The most commonly banned books—such as The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison or Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe—address marginalized experiences, providing perspectives that are crucial for understanding the complexities of modern society. Restricting access to such works sends a clear message that "certain voices and stories are not welcome."
“These books, they are so rich in literature that they allow children to dive into a more harder level of reading because nowadays we are seeing that children can’t read,” said Pacheco.
Supporters of book bans claim they’re protecting children from explicit or age-inappropriate material. While shielding young readers is a legitimate concern, most schools and libraries already have policies in place to ensure that materials align with educational goals and community standards.
Book banning often goes beyond age-appropriateness, targeting content that challenges societal norms or uncomfortable truths. This creates an echo chamber where students are blocked from diverse ideas, ultimately hindering their critical thinking and empathy.
“I’m currently at a high school and these kids, who have never read these books, that have such a high reading level, don’t know how to read,” Pacheco said. “We’re talking 15, 16, 17 year-olds who have the reading level of a sixth grader.”
Pacheco recalled how she didn’t notice the effects of banning books until she was grading papers. She detailed how she had to explain why a topic was an issue in today’s society or why they were reading a book about social injustice.
“It’s very disheartening,” she said. “I think banning books is limiting the way they think, just thinking one way, the way they were raised.”
The consequences of this censorship go beyond the classroom. Consider communities in states like Texas and Florida, where widespread challenges have forced libraries to pull books in the masses or shut down altogether. For students without access to bookstores or digital resources, libraries are a lifeline for discovery and education. Removing books from shelves disproportionately harms these vulnerable populations, effectively denying them a basic right to learn.
“I think it’s really wrong,” said Erives. “Not only are they taking our freedom of speech and academic freedom, but they are taking the basis of the education system. This undermines the principle of the freedom to explore and discuss resources.”
Critics of this perspective argue that parents should have a say in what their children read, and they’re not wrong. Parents should guide their children’s reading journeys, but that guidance should not translate into dictating what others can access. Banning books sets a dangerous precedent, allowing small groups to impose their values on entire communities. Democracy thrives on diverse viewpoints and robust debate, not on silencing ideas that make us uncomfortable.
“I get the sentiment of people, especially parents not wanting their children to read certain genres of books because it’s not what they want their children to read,” Pacheco said. “But I think reading books that have been banned in many countries and in many school districts sets up children to have a better mindset and a better view of the world.”
The rising tide of book bans is not just a battle over what we read—it’s a battle over who we become as a society. Do we want to raise a generation afraid of hard truths or one that embraces them with curiosity and courage?
“Everyone should have the ability and the resources to learn more about society, about history and science, and have the knowledge in order for society to grow and think critically,” Erives said.
Book banning is not a defense of morality; it’s an attack on the very freedoms that define us. If we fail to protect the open exchange of ideas, we risk losing more than books—we risk losing ourselves.
Sophia Tavanello is a senior journalism major at the University of Northern Colorado.
Breathing Life into Greeley: Creative District Transforms Funeral Home into Art Space
The Road Less Taken: From Athlete to Director
