1,600 books are currently banned in select schools and libraries across the U.S. Book banning is most prominent in states such as Florida, Texas, and Tennessee, although cities in New Jersey and New York are beginning to incorporate book bans into their own schools as well. In Westfield, a town only 30 minutes away from Highland Park, parents succeeded in banning Our Skin: A First Conversation About Race—a children’s book that addresses race—from their children's school. In Sparta, a town about an hour away from Highland Park, the book Ghost Boys, which follows a Black boy killed by a police officer, is outlawed as well in its public schools.
In room 106 of Highland Park High School, however, English 12 teacher Ms. Marionni introduced one of the most commonly banned books into her classroom: Maus. This graphic novel follows the author, Art Spiegelman, as he learns about his father’s experiences in the concentration camps during World War II. Maus was banned in multiple schools due to depictions of Jews being hanged and murdered and a drawing of a nude woman.
When asked why she chose to use Maus in her classroom, Ms. Marionni explained, “All students learn about the Holocaust, but many don't really understand it until they read Maus and hear/see/feel the detailed and personal experiences of victims and survivors. The past provides a context in the present; the recent rise of antisemitism harkens back to the hate-filled rhetoric of the Nazi propaganda machine. Students who read Maus come away with a better understanding of the past, the present, and a future where words matter.”
On the topic of book bans, she also stated, “Book-banning is censorship; censorship is suppression; suppression is unjust. It is as simple as that. While there could be validity to giving readers book age ratings and recommendations, the outright banning of books does not foster a climate of empathy or progress in contemporary culture.” An anonymous senior shares a similar opinion. The student said they understand where these book bans are coming from, but elaborated, “I feel like they need to be talked about so students can acknowledge the problems and reality of the situation.”
Book banning is on the rise, and while there are various perspectives as to whether it is just or not, this teaches students a valuable lesson; if you feel strongly about a certain subject or topic, you have a right to form your own opinion and advocate for yourself.