Written by Matthew Zaremba
It’s no secret that as of recent, school boards across Tennessee have been banning, restricting, or otherwise removing access to media deemed unfit for youth. Parents in support of these bannings cry that their child is being exposed to inappropriate content at school, with support from their local governments. Specifically, books in school libraries have been the target of this moral media cleansing, making students the hardest affected (or only affected, for that matter) group. Their parents are fighting for books to be removed, but what do students themselves think?
The Age-Appropriate Materials Act of 2022 requires that every public school library in TN make public their list of materials, and have them reviewed periodically in order to ensure they match the maturity levels of the student body. This legislation faced major backlash from students after being passed, and three students attending YIG have some strong opinions.
Sponsors of Blue Senate Bill 24-1-4, “An Act to Repeal the Age-Appropriate Materials Act of 2022 in Public Middle and High Schools,” Henely Robertson, Marley Harper, and Lily Lawson made clear their thoughts on book bannings in Tennessee.
In response to my question about the importance of repealing the act, Senator Harper stated “This is how children are able to express themselves and be able to read and get knowledge of what they want to learn, not just what their parents want them to learn.”
On the importance of different viewpoints in children’s media, Senator Robertson said “We think it is important to create well-rounded children by providing them with a variety of perspectives in their media.”
All three senators were in agreement that the repealing of the act would likely result in severe backlash from parents of students. “I think a lot of parents would like to be able to censor what their children read, but we think it’s important that despite this negative reaction, kids are still exposed to many different viewpoints and not just their parent’s perspective,” said Senator Robertson.
“One parent not wanting their child to read a book shouldn’t prevent every child from reading that book.”
Senator Lily Lawson
The three also mentioned how prevalent bannings have been in Tennessee recently, even citing that their school library at Signal Mountain High School has been subject to banned books.
Children are at the center of society because they are the future. If the children of today cannot learn about the world around them, how can we expect them to create a better world for themselves? It is obvious that most students are heavily opposed to the censorship in their media, and that these students recognize how it is hindering them. The fight against book banning in schools is just beginning, but the students are ready for it.
Department of Public Information 