I don't necessarily think books should be censored or prevented from production (legally, shouldn't force the companies to print anything they don't want to). But I think that some books should not be readily available, for various reasons.



Yes. There are plenty of public libraries for kids to get anything . While I appreciate the fact that many kids don't even have those opportunities, the purpose of school is to learn and to enrich the mind. I'm not saying that a high school should not carry pleasure reading novels, but they should not be the focus of the library. But books that have little purpose except for political impact, or books that have been shown to create discord should be at least limited. For example, if a high school did stock a couple copies of Mein Kampf and incidents kept arising at the school and students claimed the book was the inspiration to their behavior. I would see that as reason to stop stocking that book. I am not saying that students should not read such material. I'm just saying that if the school sees a book creating problems that detract from learning, it is justification to stop stocking it.



I really couldn't answer this will, I think. So I'm going to pass.



I think that making specific books required limits a program and closes the minds of the students. If the school wants students to read a certain type of book (ex. Victorian Classical Literature), give them a list of books that would satisfy that requirement. Let the students pick books to suit their preferences, or even better, give them the space to pick and choose and discover books that might be outside the usual selection.



Oh jeez, I really couldn't even begin to decide. I really think that there's no reason why a specific book HAS to be read for general knowledge. You can get go through life just fine without reading The Great Gatsby or Animal Farm or Jane Eyre or pretty much any book. As I've said before, I think that allowing the greatest opportunity for exposure is far more important than learning big-name classics.

That being said, I think everyone should have to read Toni Morrison's Beloved . Why? Because it's freakin' weirdness that I demand inflicting on other people.



I think it depends on the school. I know you're asking for a generalization, but I think there's just way too much variation between schools throughout the country. Our school was pretty lax on what was allowed to be read, but our demographics allowed for that. I think that censoring a good quality book just because a few parents get all up in their butts about it is a crime. On the other hand, there is plenty to be read in this world and plenty of opportunity in this country to do so. Schools and specific faculty members can be pretty vulnerable to the whims of parents if the school board caters to them. If it was censor a book or have funding cut or some other detriment, I can understand why the school would choose to simply censor the book. I really think nothing should be censored that is age appropriate and of worth. If a book is controversial, but still has depth and "worth", then I don't think the controversy is an excuse. On the other hand, if a book's only value is the controversy, then it's only place is in a study of such material.



I think it would be good for everyone if schools loosened up this dead-set focus on conventional classical literature. Even when a particular teacher gives a student an open-ended assignment, they tend to be limiting. As I've mentioned before, I had to wrestle with my teacher to let me analyze aspects of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and she was always pretty flexible with us. But just meaning can be found from most books and to deny an unconventional or less serious piece of literature without trial is a travesty.



The Brontes. They make my mind burn. Austen can stay. Austen is worthy of a guilty-pleasure reading. The Brontes make me twitch.



Not that I can think of off the top of my head. I'm in Neuro and my brain isn't really on the "author list" part of the brain



Dr. Seuss. I know. I know. Random. But really. I'm not changing my answer.