Tuesday's edition of USA Today had an article about Banned Books Week that I found enlightening. Jonah Goldberg contends that there is no such thing as a banned book in America. When a parent or a library removes a book from their shelves because it might be inappropriate for a certain age group, that is called "banning". But, says Goldberg, even if the book in question is removed, it is widely available for sale everywhere else.
Goldberg points out that schools recognize the importance of parental involvement in their children's education, but then decry the parents' "interference" when they question the choice of a particular book. Statistics show that one in every 100,000 parents complains about an age-inappropriate book. Hardly an epidemic. These parents are not saying the book should be banned for all ages and for all time, but just for the slice of time in their kids' lives when some of life's realities may be too harsh for their sensibilities.
What do you think? Is it good parenting or book banning?
