While I think flat out censorship of books is wrong, I can't say I would NEVER forbid my kid to read a book. I would have to look at it first, check out what was in it. I wouldn't mind them reading books geared towards various religious sects, for example, but I would want to check what kind of message was being sent in the book. It may seem nice and wholesome on the outside, but if there is any indication that the book is making out some other religion/race/whatever to be bad, then yes, I would forbid them to read it. It's the same premise as any parent forbidding their child to read Harry Potter because they think wizards and witchcraft are bad, and don't want them to think that it is ok. The difference for me is, I don't want them reading anything that might even subtly indicate that any specific race/religion/whatever is bad. At ages 3 and 6, my kids might question what they read, if it conflicted with what my husband and I teach them, but it would still cause confusion. It would introduce the thought of, "Well, these people say this is bad. Mommy and Daddy say it isn't, but what if they're wrong?" Also, by my giving them permission to read that book, I am tacitly saying that what is in that book is ok.
There is one other reason I would keep my kids from reading, or reading to my kids, some books. It has only happened once, but I would do it again. My kids get books from the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, and for the most part, I've liked the books we've received. There was one book though, that I just didn't like. It was called "Flossy and the Fox." by Patricia McKissack. The message of the story was great. It was about a girl who uses smart thinking to outwit a fox that has been plaguing the area. What I didn't like was the way she talked. She had that slave-era, southern accent dialect. I know that that is how they talked back then, and it's not that I have any hatred because of it. But my three year old is in that age of quickly learning new words, proper grammar, and proper pronunciation, and mimicking what she hears. My six year old still has some trouble with annunciation and grammar. I would rather avoid having them pick up the bad grammar and pronunciation, then have to correct them in public. Also, and this is purely a personal quirk, the word "flossy" was a slang term for a girl's private parts when I was a kid. It just made it really odd and uncomfortable for me when reading the book.
These are purely personal choices when it comes to what my children read, though. No matter what I think of a book, if someone else is ok with their kids reading it, then that is their choice. I would never espouse completely banning a book from say, the school library, just because I don't agree with it.
Choose to give people less choices and you chose to give them nothing but temptation. The whole reason religion works is because of its mystery and magic. Same goes for any movie or tv show. When one, finally, realizes the man behind the curtain the mystery is gone and all that is left is the truth and the words. The glimmer of the magic that one once felt. Censorship is, by far, the worse torture you can put one through so they will do anything they can to have their curiosities intrigued and, perhaps even worse, build a bias in favor of the censored materials to do the most inevitable thing a human can do when caged. Rebel.
ReplyDeleteOn any book I would choose to keep my children from reading, I would explain to them why, to the best of my ability and their ability to understand, depending upon their age. Once they are older, and are able to understand the more intricate messages that book might have, then they could read it. Of course, by then, that book might not be age appropriate.
ReplyDeleteFor example, Dr. Seuss's 'The Sneetches' has a multitude of great messages in it; people can look different but are still the same, it's wrong to treat someone badly because they are different from you, it's stupid to spend all of your money trying to fit in. I also use that book to try to explain to my kids that if someone is treating you badly, making you feel bad, you shouldn't waste time trying to make them like you. Ignore them and find another way to make yourself happy. The Sneetches without stars didn't have to stand on the beach wishing to join in with the star-bellied Sneetches. They could have just gone off and had their OWN party.
But most of these things are subtle messages that will sit in their subconscious until time and maturity gives them the ability to understand.
If my kid finds some sort of KKK kids book or something, I'm not going to let them read it. Things like that are written specifically to get into the reader's brain, worming it's way into their subconscious, preying upon them and manipulating them. I don't want my child, at the age of 6-11, reading something like that, when they are too young to read it objectively. When they're older, and have matured enough to have the innocence and naivety knocked out of them, then they can read it. Young kids don't see the world in shades of grey. It's all black and white, good and bad. They are easy targets for the kind of all or nothing thinking hate groups and fundamental religious sects use to herd their sheep.
For the most part, I am very candid with my kids. I don't think it's good to shelter them from everything. That just makes the culture shock worse when they get older and find out everything isn't really all sunshine and rainbows. But, I'd rather tell them why I don't want them to read a certain book, and discuss it with them on their level.
It's no different than not letting your kid read romance novels because they're not old enough to be reading some of the graphic descriptions. At age 6, I'll answer basic birds and bees questions, but I'm not going to give them a rundown on technique.