Banned Books Display: Addressing both sides & encouraging student voice
As a school librarian, it's super important for me to mark the American Library Association's Banned Books Week (this year, it's Sept 18 - 24). As long as I've been a school librarian, I've included a Banned Books display in my library. In the past, the stakes felt low, and I didn't worry that it would cause any kind of controversy. And things have changed. Now that book banning is MUCH more prevalent, and considered by many to be both a controversial issue and a highly politicized issue, I'm VERY careful to ensure my display is informational and allows lots of room for students to draw their OWN conclusions about the topic. (This aligns with my district's school board policy on teaching controversial issues.) To do this, I use the display to incorporate three reasons why people support book banning AND three reasons why people oppose book banning. I provide students with paper and pens, and encourage them to reflect on their opinions about the topic. Th...