Unless you’ve been living under a rock or you’ve been asphyxiated by the snow and lost normal brain function, you should have at least heard about the banning of the classic: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain for the overuse of the “N” word. Although the word does have harsh racism written all over it today, during Twain’s lifetime, the word was extremely common, and he was simply trying to depict the times accurately. Should a book be banned from being taught or read in school for the use of the word? Should any book be banned at all?

It does not bother me personally if a book has anything offensive. As long as it’s a good read, it’s good with me. I know that a book is a book; another source of good entertainment, and like television and movies, not all forms are accepted by all people. Though, some people will judge a book by its cover and they will automatically assume something before actually reading the book. I know a few people who will not read Harry Potter for religious reasons, saying it teaches witchcraft, and thus it goes against God. But as a Potter fan, I know that Rowling does not mention God in her books, and the story is based on love and friendship. I cannot fathom why those who have not read the books can so strongly oppose them. It simply does not make sense and cancels out the validity of their argument in my eyes.

Books are banned for things like drug use, sexual profanity, racial slurs, and excessive violence. These works are one the greatest forms of expression, and above all, they teach us about lives, different points of views, people, and imagination. At a high school level, students should be able to determine whether or not they are mature enough to handle the stories. After all, high school students are expected to be grown up, so why can’t we decide what we should read for ourselves? I’m not saying that libraries should carry erotic fiction or carry every genre of every kind, but they should carry a variety of books, even if it has racy or profound content on the sidelines. As long as the book is a good read, the student should be mature enough at this age to determine whether or not they can handle the material in the book, rather than banning a book and preventing students to read the story. Even still, if a student truly wishes to read the book, they will find some way to read it.