With Donald Trump’s reelection as the president of the U.S., Project 2025 could be a step closer to reality. Project 2025, a comprehensive plan connected with President Trump and his allies with proposals for the U.S. economy, healthcare, racial equality, and even the Department of Education. One aspect of this project would have an estimated 10,000 books banned in many schools and libraries in the U.S.
However, despite widespread concern throughout the country, none of Arcadia High School’s (AHS) curriculum books have been affected as of right now.
Arcadia Unified School District “has a collection development policy in place that requires a [precise] process for removal of library books,” said Ms. Shannon Will, AHS librarian. “The policy also ensures that our book acquisition follows certain criteria to ensure that books are age and grade-appropriate as well as representing all students. These safeguards are upheld by the education code and our school board, who value libraries as an important part of the student experience.”
AHS has a very specific process for the removal of certain library books, and so far, no books have been removed or under the threat of removal. However, many other districts and libraries will still be impacted.
Banning books does not make that book illegal; what it does do is remove those books from schools or libraries, making it harder for anybody to access them. Even though books could still be bought online or at a bookstore, the chances of the book being out of print and no longer for sale increases. Not only do we lose the story an author has written inside, we lose the message that they were trying to tell. Many books that are on the ban list share “sensitive” topics of race, gender, sexuality, and even personal experiences of a traumatic event. Banning these books to end “wokeness” in a classroom removes and affects a child’s perspective and knowledge of topics such as LGBTQ+, race, diversity, and etc.
Many books that could be banned are still a part of the English curriculum and are used to teach about certain topics and history. A great example of this is the renowned 1947 account of a girl’s experience in hiding and the thousand concentration camps in Nazi Germany, The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank. This book teaches students the background information of the Holocaust and World War II, showing how these events affected many Jews all around the world. The book displays deep reflections on the life of Anne Frank and even the vulnerability of her emotions, giving a lesson in empathy in times of hardship. However, despite its important subject matter, this book has been banned in states like Florida, Texas, and Virginia because of the sensitive topics of the Holocaust. The diary also contains some reflections on Anne’s sexuality and her body, which some states have deemed too explicit for readers.
Another book at risk of a ban is Animal Farm by George Orwell. Animal Farm is a well-known book used in high schools across the country to teach students the concepts of allegory and how it can be used to convey a deeper meaning about how society works. The book explores many themes of power, corruption, propaganda, class, and inequality. At the same time, it stays relevant to human nature and social justice topics.
Ironically, another book commonly viewed as a warning about the dangers of censorship and authoritarianism, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, has also faced multiple bans over the past years because of its critiques of censorship and its discussion of drugs. Project 2025 emphasizes censoring and restricting educational materials on certain ideological grounds, putting these books at a higher risk of being targets for the ban.
Even some more modern, popular books could be at risk of a ban. For example, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. This dystopian novel exhibits how the rich and powerful thrive while the poor play deadly games as entertainment for the upper classes. Many critics have claimed the book contains too much violence, offensive language, and promotes anti-family values. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, another title often heard in discussions of book bans, talks about a woman’s struggles in a society that suppresses her identity, fertility, and freedom. And again, some critics have bashed the book for having explicit sexual scenes and anti-Christian themes. Even The Lorax by Dr. Seuss has received censorship; this children’s book tells an important story that urges readers to consider their actions’ impact on the Earth and the safety of our environment. However many critics claim that it teaches children to view the logging industry in a bad light and is too critical of capitalism. Most of these books just warn readers of how society could end up with the actions of greed and suppression of ideas taking place.
A ban on books—that are used in schools or just read for fun—because they’re considered “controversial” in history and too “woke” narrows down a student’s perspective and overall knowledge of the problems going around in the world. It eliminates the representation of diverse groups and the voices of victims of certain tragedies, leaving students unaware of a significant chunk of the historical record. Many history textbooks are victims of this censorship as most of them briefly go over topics like the Nanjing Massacre and even events in the Holocaust. This ends up with students not having a clear understanding of these tragedies on humankind and erasing the voices of victims.
The anticipated impact of widespread bans looms large in the wake of the 2024 Presidential Election because it may force authors and teachers to be more wary when talking about certain topics like race, sexuality, and even social justice, leading to homogenization of topics and heavy censorship of knowledge. Narrowing the curriculum used to teach English and language arts also simply lowers a student’s ability to think critically and analyze complex issues.
Banning any book affects our educational system and the potential of students and their worldviews. Book censorship is an action that silences the voices and perspectives of authors and communities being represented, erasing the opportunity for readers to learn from people’s experiences, ideas, and the lessons they’re trying to share. With the increasing frequency of book bans, society is losing the chance to engage with different ideas and perspectives that could be crucial for personal and national growth.
