When walking into the LHS library these past few months, it was hard to miss the banned books bookshelf. Crisscrossed with yellow caution tape and topped with a sign in grim red letters, it stood out from the rest of the easily approachable library decor. However, its demeanor was not meant to scare away readers, but in fact to draw the attention of students and highlight its importance.
“It was created so students can be aware of what books have been banned in other states,” said library technology assistant Sammy Bok. “People are often too scared to read them, they just look at them.”
According to Bok, the literature found on the shelf primarily exists there due to profanity, derogatory terms or explicitly sexual content. While they represent books that have been commonly banned across the country, the Lake Oswego School District does not currently have any banned books.
“I think everyone should be able to read banned books and everyone should read banned books,” said Bok. “They’re just like every other book, and there’s just a range of genres.”
This opinion is shared with English teacher Naomi Kirchner, who actually teaches a banned book to her freshmen every year: “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee.
“I understand people’s hesitancy to teach it because without a lot of historical context, parts of it are really problematic,” said Kirchner. “I think it’s not just the language, it’s the flippancy with which the n-word is used. I think a good teacher teaches the complexity of it, but that can be really hard.”
While she doesn’t believe books should be banned, she does think teachers should be cognisant of the potential consequences of assigning such books.
“No book should be banned from a library, but I do think that if a teacher is forcing a whole class to read a book, teachers have to be thoughtful about the selection,” said Kirchner. “I think there’s a difference between giving kids the choice of things to read, versus requiring kids to read things.”
Many students are in fact not opposed to reading these banned books. Not only is the “forbidden” element enticing, so is the shelf’s decoration and individuality.
“I’m interested in why they’re banned and the fact that they were in the school library,” said freshman William McIver. “I kind of expected it from the town library, but not the school library.”
Its promotion and satirical destigmatization has led to students seeing the value in being open minded to banned literature.
“I don’t think you should ban information,” said senior Alyssa Krieg. “Books are a good way to spread knowledge and learn about our world and the stuff around us.”
One student, sophomore Stijn VanHuis, was a regular visitor of the banned bookshelf who thinks all students should check out a banned book if they get a chance.
“I think they give good viewpoints on subjects or give you stories you can’t find from normal books,” said VanHuis. “I haven’t found a banned book that’s like another, every single one seems different and that’s what makes them so fun to read!”
Now that it’s Black History Month, the library now showcases its equally interesting Black American History bookshelf. However, if you’re now interested in reading a banned book, don’t fret. The banned book shelf is a regular that will be sure to make an appearance at the start of next year, and you can always check them out on their respective shelves. Just ask Ms. Bok!
