Aaron's Books in Lititz, PA articulates the importance of NOT banning books. We paraphrase their insights: We believe firmly in the “Mirrors, Windows, & Sliding Glass Doors” theory of literature (initially introduced by Rudine Sims Bishop). A mirror is a story that reflects your own culture and helps you build your identity. A window is a resource that offers you a view into someone else’s experience. By removing books that offer a window to some and a mirror to others, censors portray that only some cultures have value.
When looking at the hundreds of resources that were recently “put on hold” in PA's Central York School District, it is evident that the ban targeted authors, creators, and historical figures of color and those in the LGBTQ community. These stories need to be read, need to be discussed, and need to be heard; and not just by students of color. By all of us.
This year’s Banned Books Week theme, "Books Unite Us," is a reminder of the unifying power of stories and the divisiveness of censorship. Find ways to take action at https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks
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