18 | FALL 2023
the MIRROR
| OPINION |
Book bans: Hellish weapons of censorship DAIMLER KOCH Over the past couple of years, a disturbing trend has arisen across the nation. Texas, Florida and other Republican states all over the U.S. have been removing books about racism, sexuality and gender identity from their public libraries and schools. It is only a matter of time before this plague begins to spread to more progressive states like California. The American Library Association says 1,915 unique titles have been banned or challenged in 2023 so far, a 20 percent increase from last year. According to ALA president Lessa Kanani'opua Pelayo-Lozada, those who attempt to ban these books usually haven't read them in the first place. Book bans are nothing new. In 1884, when Mark Twain first published “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” which explored institutionalized racism and prejudice against Black people in America, libraries across the country condemned it for its explicit language and removed it from their bookshelves, egged on by local governments. The reasoning for such book bans is more or less the same: the books deal with topics that are “inappropriate” for minors in public schools. Books that discuss racial oppression in America, like “The Hate U Give” and “The
Bluest Eye,” have been banned in Texan school districts. Books featuring LGBTQ+ characters have been a target as well. For instance, the memoir “Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe, which talks about their journey of self-discovery and realizing they were non-binary. This title received a total of 67 bans across school districts in both the 2021-22 and 202223 school years, and other titles at the top of the 2022 banned books list frequently center around LGBTQ+ characters. The Republican politicians pushing for the bans of LGBTQ+ books cite these novels as being pornographic for their frank discussions of sex and sexuality. But when over 41 percent of banned titles in 2022 have content relating to LGBTQ+ identity, it's clear that the reasoning behind these bans goes deeper than ensuring children don’t read about sex – they’re trying to silence the voices of the LGBTQ+ community and people of color by erasing their stories and experiences. Lawmakers in Florida expanded the Parental Rights in Education bill, prohibiting the discussion of gender identity in
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classrooms in all grades and forcing teachers to remove LGBTQ+ books from their curriculums. Texas House Representative Matt Krause, meanwhile, has recommended that the state withhold a total of 850 books that address race and sexual identity from all public schools. All the reasons to ban these books – explicit language, pornography, graphic descriptions of violence – are blatant excuses designed to silence minority groups whose stories or ideas are being expressed in these novels. Many kids of color and those exploring their sexuality or gender find solace in the books Texas and Florida are trying to ban. They see themselves represented in the protagonists of these novels, affirming their individual identities and making them feel more accepted in their respective communities as a whole. The politicians and parents behind these book bans are attempting to remove these teens from this place of comfort. By keeping certain novels out of kids’ hands, the adults in charge keep them from feeling included, dis-
All the reasons to ban these books are but blatant excuses designed to silence minority groups whose stories or ideas are being expressed in these novels.
covering their identity and feeling truly happy. What makes these book bans even more despicable is that some are being enforced in disregard of the law. Most school districts nationwide have adopted a policy where, if a parent requests for a book to be removed, it must be submitted via a form that passes through a committee of school employees for review. Certain schools in Texas have sidestepped this process, allowing school administrators to remove books in order to avoid controversy. The Denton Independent School District in Texas, for example, is reviewing 11 controversial books, even though it has only received a formal complaint for one of them. This wave of book bans is not, as politicians and parents claim, a crusade to save children’s innocent souls from graphic depictions of the real world. This is a group of people trying to control the minds of kids by deciding what they should and should not be able to read about. Even if a school district does not face such a problem, it is vital for it to continue promoting free thinking and discussion of sensitive topics. Those leading the book bans want to craft a narrative that excludes some communities and upholds others, all at the sake of millions of kids’ livelihoods, self-esteem and satisfaction.
OFF THE SHELVES
Florida and Texas have started a new wave of book bans that aim to create a narrative that excludes people of color and in the LGBTQ+ community.
PHOTOILLUSTRATION FOR THE MIRROR | SAVANNAH MENJIVAR
Teenagers need to take the wheel and hit the open road KIMBERLY SALAZAR Starting your first day of high school, throwing your cap in the air at graduation and getting accepted into college are some of the biggest milestones of a teenager’s life. However, there is no goal more important to a high-schooler than obtaining the right to drive. Being a certified driver is a symbol of independence and maturity that’s hard to match. Oftentimes, teens have to rely on their parents to take them to school and social events. Constantly being an Uber for their kids can become a hefty burden. Ask any parent, and they’re bound to have stories about ride-coordinating chaos and the pains of 24/7 chauffeur service. Getting your license can be a breath of fresh air for you and your parents. After years of not being able to hang out with friends because you don’t have a ride, the freedom to jump in the car and take off is incredibly refreshing. Earning the right to drive after committing time and effort is not only a rewarding experience, but it promotes responsibility in growing teens. For those interested in a job, a license makes getting to work easier and shows your employer that you’re accountable and available. Some argue that putting 16-year-olds lacking experience on the road is too dangerous. An analysis published by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety revealed that drivers between the ages of 16 and 17 are more likely to be involved in car accidents than any other age group, causing more injuries and deaths.
But while younger drivers are at higher risk of accidents, much higher rates for younger drivers, who are more liable to keeping them off the roads won’t help prepare them either. If get into accidents and display reckless road behavior. experience is the factor in question, it stands to reason that However, that’s still no reason to hold off on getting your people who start driving at any later age won’t fare any better. license. Drivers with longer histories of accident-free driving Instead, drivers should start are charged less for their auto THE MIRROR | CHRISTOPHER MONTERROSA training as early as possible, while insurance. Do your (parent’s) gaining practical experience wallet a favor by obtaining your through test rides accompanied by license. After you do so, the a trusted adult. cost of insurance will decrease For parents dealing with over time, meaning that it’ll mood-swing-prone teens that are cost less when you do decide to difficult to bond with, this can be a start driving regularly. prime opportunity to share driving On a slightly gloomier note, stories and teach valuable lessons. the ability to get out of the And for teens with worried parents, house is particularly valuable showing off your driving skills on those rougher nights. We’ve in real-time means they’ll be less all experienced a fight with our likely to have a heart attack every parents, or just had a bad day, time you turn on the ignition. and needed personal space that The maturity that comes with goes beyond our bedroom walls. TEEN FREEDOM Earning a driver’s license as early as possible driving includes the dreary realm Whether it’s going to the gym, sets teenagers up to become more independent. of finances. Haters will go on and crying in the car or grabbing ice on about additional, expensive gas cream to enjoy in solitude, drivprices, but those hit everybody. Trying to wait out a usually ing yourself somewhere that isn’t home can offer comfort and unpredictable economy is a game you won’t win and probably time to evaluate your mental state. don’t want to play at all. Obtaining a driver’s license cultivates responsibility and On the other hand, the costs of car insurance can present a independence, as well as provides personal and financial benquick turn-off to teens eager to drive - or more likely, to their efits. No longer will you be a mandatory passenger princess. The parents. It’s true that insurance companies tend to charge sooner you’re able to get behind the wheel, the better.
