Censorship in Children’s Literature
Censorship in the literature of children is justified depending on the context, particularly literature full of offensive and violent materials. Monitoring of the children’s literature in the twenty first century has been a concern to the media fraternity in the universe as the world experiences rapid changes with socialization and globalization. Censoring of the literature has been in place but little has been done in monitoring the literature of the children, it has been primarily assumed that the people producing the literature for children will apply their basic knowledge in producing literature that reflects the values of the communities.
The recent past is characterized with children’s literature being littered with offensive materials, sexual exploits, occult themes, religious conflicts, homosexual themes, lesbian themes, violent materials and materials not suited for the target age group among other reasons. Summarizing the causes for literature censorship, the reasons are pegged on issues of minority rights, issues family values, issues of political views and issues of religion among others (Kim 101). American Library Association (ALA) argues that there is some children’s literature that has been challenged and others banned from the shelves. It has been noted that children books that raises questions are reported to the organizations dealing with the scrutiny of the children’s literature for recommendations; examples of such organizations identify with Office for Intellectual Freedom.
The main cause of censorship in the literature of children is based on moral standing, it has been noted that moral censorship is pegged to obscene or moral questionable materials. Most of the censored children materials include books, films, music, maps and internet among others. The main challenge with the children’s literature lies in the notion that only a portion of the literature is reported, an indication that the market is full offensive children’s literature that are not reported. Some of the reported children literature has resulted in bans. Literature is banned on the basis that the material will be of harm to the children (Harris 67). The age level according to the target market is critical in censoring the literature. Children are constantly restricted from accessing literature destined for the adult people in the society.
Taking a critical look United States, there are a number of organizations that fight for the rights of the children, such organizations are KidSPEAK, and examples of such books were written by Harry Potter. Findings indicated that Parents against Bad Books in Schools (PABBIS) is an organization that challenges the literature of the children in classroom teaching, public libraries and in schools; there are similar organizations that encourage censorship of children’s literature in making sure that the moral fabric of the society is not stained.
Parents has been concerned with access of some literature to the children, parents argue that some of the children’s literature should be subjected to some form of restrictions. Surveys done on the Public Libraries and Intellectual Freedom argued that parents have the right of guiding their children towards the right literature reading, media exposure and television viewing among others. It is argued that the public library has the responsibilities of making sure that such practices are adhered to as the parents of the children see it fit.
Public libraries are expected to shed light on advisory services to the readers and providing booklists among other proactive and positive services in developing the right reading culture. Public and private libraries must not act in any form in place of parents, by dictating parentally set controls or prohibiting access to the literature basing on age.
Some of the banned books were written by Robie H. Harris, an example being on the ‘It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing up, Sex and Sexual Health’ and the ‘Hot Buttons’ (Harris 6), it was argued that her books were controversial in the sense that they handled on sex education and sexual health. A number of parents felt that the books were too open on the topic of sexual health, depending on the age target readers. There are people in the society who felt that Harris had infringed in their rights, and that the parents had the responsibility of teaching their children on sexuality.
Harris argued that her books were normal and that different families have different perceptions on what is good or bad to their children; mainly when teens and kids are navigating adolescence and puberty. Some parents have embraced Harris books asserting that the books are open in teaching the children on inappropriate and appropriate touches. Harris continued to assert that she is also a parent like them and that she was a grandmother. Harris had experienced the good and the worst in life, prompting her to write books on sexuality; she continued to argue that her literature was accompanied by her values (Harris 48).
Findings indicated that there a number of health officials, teachers, families, clergy and libraries sharing the same values as those of Harris; and at the same time there are parents with different values on what is to be shared to the children and to the teens. Harris argued that the sentiments are true and distributed all over the world. Harris asserted that the controversy and importance of her books were based on creating an opportunity for the teens and kids to talk and discuss on sexuality, which culminates to the parents discussing the family values that bind the family together (Harris 77).
Rejection of the Harris’s books from the market were based on some parents wholly rejecting the sex topics, while there are some parents supporting some sections of the books and rejecting other sections of the books. There are feelings that the books offered outright information to underage children, and that the information should have been limited. Harris believed that if children have the right information, then it would be easier for the children to make the right decisions on issues of sexual orientation (Harris 31).
Parents argued that some topics in the children’s literature are sensitive, mentioning a few on abortion, homosexuality, sexual abuse, masturbation and issues of sexually transmitted diseases. It is important noting that majority of teens and children already have some information on such hot topics. The worry of most parents is basing on the children sharing dishonest, inaccurate and backdated information.
Harris supported her books by indicating that eliminating hot topics from her books would be dishonest, and that important and crucial information on sexuality would be left out (Harris 19). Harris argued that schools and libraries among other literature outlets should be allowed to practice their own democratic rights, in that they could independently choose to include or leave out on her literature.
Another book that has been challenged identifies with the ‘The color of the Earth’ written by Kim Dong Hwa (Kim 11). The book has been accused of sex education, nudity, sexual explicit and that the book targets the wrong age group. Surveys have shown that banning a book must be subjected to the book challenging process. A challenge in this context means to attempt to restrict or remove the materials from the shelves where the target group cannot access the material (Kim 299).
Literature censorship for children’s literature can be done by private organizations, governments or carried by individuals objecting self censorship. There are a variety of contexts depending on the target group, in a way carried out with the intent of discouraging conflicting rights.
Censorship has faced diverse criticism over the centuries, in a way that it hinders the progress and distributes unfair message to the target market. Reflecting in the internet censorship that happened in 1997, a researcher by the name Michael Landier argued that censorship was counterproductive under that context, and that it prevented the materials censored from being aired and discussed in the society. In the same way Harris in her books argued that removing sexual approach in her books was like being unrealistic in life, and children would feel cheated (Harris 82). Harris added that each and every child has encountered sexual materials or experience in one way or another; hence it is the high time of addressing at the issue.
Inc inclusion, censorship in children’s literature is critical depending on the context; there are times when issues have to be faced on the head as argued by Harris. It is worth for the organizations or governments imposing censorship to consider the truthfulness of the information before swinging into acting, producers of the censored materials should be ready to defend their content.
Works Cited
Harris, Robie H. It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health. Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick, 2009.
Kim, Dong Hwa. The Color of Earth. New York: First Second, 2009.
