Book banning Makes the U.s. more like nazi Germany

By Ally Stone

​When I attended elementary school in Coral Springs, Florida, we weren't allowed to say the word “gay” in school, and when we asked why, no one explained. They just said, “Don’t say the word ‘gay’. Just don’t say it!” So anyone could suddenly get in trouble for saying the word “gay” with your teachers, but no one knew why, and no one could tell us. Not even school guidance counselors. It was weird. 
I was fascinated, and that’s what led me to the subject of book banning. Book banning and word banning are an ironic contradiction in the public education system. After all, these words and books are not curse words. The basic building blocks of education start with understanding words and reading books, right?​

The purpose of reading a variety of books is to instill a sense of empathy for different perspectives. Schools that are trying to teach diversity may use literature with history to give students perspectives from minorities in particular that are targeted by religious groups or those in power. So what happens to public school education if minority perspectives are excluded from general studies? What will the impacts of removing diversity be from our schools?
“Books should not be banned in general,” British Literature teacher Brett Odom said. “Even books that are controversial are important to engage with. They broaden our minds. And it's important for us to understand other perspectives even when they're ones we object to.” 
Surprisingly, parents are most generally behind book bannings in the United States. In 2022, Governor Ron DeSantis signed a law called “Parental Rights In Education”, which has been nicknamed the “Don’t say gay” law. This law prohibits educators from talking about sexuality and gender in the classroom. 
Ever since the 1600s, Americans have been banning books, such as 1984 by George Orwell. 1984 is one of the most banned books in the U.S. and possibly one of the most banned books in the world. The story is about characters living under authoritarian rule, how they have to live day to day under surveillance and how this oppressive government tries to control their day to day behaviors. This plot line may challenge the ideas of those in power that are actively trying to implement similar laws. By banning books that make us think, America has become dangerously accustomed to the idea that thinking and dissent should not be encouraged. This seems counterproductive to what the American public education system should be providing at the most basic level–critical thinking. 
Book banning is a form of censorship. It occurs when private individuals, government officials, or organizations remove books from libraries, school reading lists, or bookstore shelves because they object to their content, ideas, or themes. 
In America 2024, the practice of book banning is alarmingly on the rise.  Should Americans be worried? Some frequent [recent] reasons why books are being banned in America is because of LGBTQIA+ content, racism, political views and so much more. Even though freedom of speech is one of the first amendments to the Constitution, book banning makes you question the irony of our foundational laws. 
Florida is one of the states that bans the most books, just behind Texas. According to a recent 2024 ABC News article titled “Book Ban Lawsuit Moves Forward As Florida District Removes Over 1,000 Titles,” more than 2,800 books have been banned in a Florida county. A lawsuit challenging book bans in Escambia County, Florida, is saying that the removal of books violates the First and Fourteenth amendments. 
Several authors including David Levithan (author of Two Boys Kissing, Boy Meets Boy, Hold Me Closer, and Full Spectrum), George M. Johnson (author of All Boys Aren't Blue) and Ashley Hope Pérez (author of Out of Darkness), are all backing the lawsuit that challenges the Florida county lawsuit. According to the lawsuit, books that were by or about people of color or part of the LGBTQ+ community, were targeted in the book banning policies described in the lawsuit. 
Book banning is not limited to the current American political climate either.  It happens all over the world. The People’s Republic of China, Nazi Germany, North Korea and The Soviet Union are all examples of governments that have practiced  book banning. The censorship of diverse and dissenting ideas may have been the greatest threat to these regimes.
Historically speaking, book banning has been an instrument of authoritarian rule under controlling regimes such as Nazi Germany or North Korea to prevent citizens from accessing dissenting ideas. This should be a reminder to Americans that reflecting on the past will give harsh clues to the future.