October 17, 2022 by Eliza Krackeler ’24
In public schools and libraries, the banning of books is being made into a culture war over material discussing race, gender, and LGBTQIA+ issues. The banning of these topics has a lasting effect on kids in the public school system. Ms. Duchaussee, a librarian at the Saratoga Springs High School library, said, “it stops kids from getting the resources they need.”
In many cases, it comes down to the parents. Ms. Duchaussee said, “they have to remember their belief system isn’t the only belief system.” Some parents try to shelter their children and keep swear words or topics of race and homosexuality out of reach, leading to complaints that these parents are using book banning as an excuse to teach ignorance.
The debate also extends to children’s books covering mature topics. Titles like Hatchet by Gary Paulsen have been placed on the banned books list due to graphic descriptions of injury and trauma. Children are becoming restricted in reading options because of adults making that choice for them. On this discussion Ms. Duchaussee said, “if kids are ready to read a book, then that book should be available for them.”