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Banned Books

COURTNEY EICHACKER EXAMINES HER POPULAR BANNED BOOKS COURSE THROUGH THE LENS OF GOULD’S CORE VALUES OF

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  • CURIOSITY, KINDNESS, CREATIVITY, & COURAGE

    There are no books federally banned in the United States. 

    The majority of books listed as “banned” are challenged by organizations and individuals concerned by the content and age appropriateness of the literature available to elementary, middle, and secondary students. In most cases of book challenge, the book is called to be removed from a school or public library in an attempt to keep it out of the hands of our youth.
The control of information and censorship has existed as long as the written word. Historically, books have been banned by those in power in an attempt to control politics, social expectations, and the narrative of historical events. 

According to The American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, “The number of titles targeted for censorship at public libraries increased by 92% over the previous year, accounting for about 46% of all book challenges in 2023; school libraries saw an 11% increase over 2022 numbers…Titles representing the voices and lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC individuals made up 47% of those targeted in censorship attempts.” (American Library Association 2023)

When Associate Director of Alumni Relations and previous English Department Chair Denise Manning developed the course over a decade ago, it was a thoughtful way to actively engage students in their senior spring trimester with more provocative literature focused around religion, politics, and mental health. From this initial and intentional concept, the discussion in the classroom has evolved due to the more frequent challenging of texts in the United States. Questions have surfaced around “why is this happening more frequently today?” and “who gives someone else the right to decide what one can or cannot read?"

In this course, conversations consider why books have been banned in the past and why there is a significant increase in the amount of literature being challenged today. We read books and stories that have been banned and challenged in different states, countries, and classrooms due to LGBTQIA+ content, discussions on mental health, historical accounts of social, gender, and racial injustice, and content questioned for levels of sexual content.

A large part of our class discussions begin with the question of the true purpose of these bans, the fears that lead to them, and how we can use literature to develop empathy and compassion for the lives and experiences of others.
Banned Books and Films is a non-required elective course, and even when students choose to sign up, they are provided with content information and the option not to read any book that makes them uncomfortable. The true goal and purpose of the course is to create an environment where different ideas and perspectives can safely and respectfully be argued and discussed to prepare students to be open-minded and critical thinkers in our increasingly complex world.  

“It was thought-provoking to have the time and resources to dig deep into how I can better empathize with others. Although empathy is an innate feature of the human mind, fully utilizing it to benefit others around you is not. This class was a great exercise in practicing empathy and applying it to everyday life. It was interesting to hear the differing perspectives of my classmates, even when I disagreed with them. - ALLISON ’24

Banned Books and Films was created and continues to evolve to foster the learned skills and learning experience true to any Gould student. Gould faculty are challenging students to ask questions through critical thinking, seek answers through analysis, and learn not just from their teachers but from one another across all disciplines.

Courtney Eichacker

The true goal and purpose of the course is to create an environment where different perspectives can respectfully be discussed to prepare students to be open-minded critical thinkers in our increasingly complex world.

CURIOSITY

Students read fictional and nonfictional accounts of human experiences that have been challenged for content in the United States. This past spring, we read All Boys Aren’t Blue, a memoir by George M. Johnson, and Toni Morrison’s classic novel The Bluest Eye. Between these two books came the moral dilemma of “banning” or challenging someone’s true and honest life story simply because what happened to them is sad or uncomfortable to the reader. If it’s uncomfortable to us, we must imagine what it would be like to have lived it and recognize our obligation to learn about that which we have not experienced.

Through a genuine interest in the lives of others, we gain empathy. It is much easier to avoid or ignore a complicated or difficult conversation than it is to sit in the discomfort of learning about the hardships that other folks endure. Asking questions and creating space for the discomfort we often face when discussing hardships is how we grow as human beings.

“Very rarely before this class had I ever read anything about the emotional or personal effects of the people who lived through the events that I had read about in other classes. Reading those stories made me much more aware of how two people can coexist in the same area but have wildly different experiences. It also got me thinking about all the little ways I can create safe spaces for everyone around me. - MAX ’24

KINDNESS

It would be hard to argue that the world needs less kindness. Disagreement is natural and healthy, and it is the way that we express and act upon our diverse thoughts that we have control over and that we make change in the world. However, we owe it to the future of humanity to take the time to listen, show respect, and do our best to hold kindness and compassion in the heart of all that we do.

“Empathy is just that; it is understanding what people are going through and how they might be feeling. But this definition may be intimidating to some who don’t face as much adversity as others. For example, how am I (a straight white male) supposed to show empathy to someone of a different race or gender identity who faces discrimination every day? From what I learned in this course, this question can be answered by just being curious and open-minded. From reading the memoir All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson, I learned so much about what it must feel like to be part of a minority group. Although I will never truly understand what it is like, I can do my best to ask questions to understand as best I can, as a complete understanding is the greatest form of empathy” - ANDERS ’24

COURAGE

Creating safe spaces for others and standing up to discrimination and unfair treatment of specific groups can be difficult. It takes compassion and courage to make our mark on the world and use every opportunity that we have to make a positive change. Through literature, we can recognize the courage that it takes to share one’s personal pain and true life experience, knowing that there might be folks out there who simply don’t want to hear about it. 

“As I’ve learned throughout this course and my whole life, empathy takes repetition in the form of sympathy. Sympathy is truly acknowledging one’s emotions, and empathy is understanding and experiencing one’s emotions with them. This process may be hard, uncomfortable, and painful, but it is necessary for us to learn and grow. Without change, we cannot grow, and this change may be difficult. It is important to remember no matter how difficult the journey of gaining empathy may be; it is nowhere near what that person is experiencing firsthand.” - REBECCA ’24

Titles that are Among the Most Challenged in the United States

  • ANNE FRANK: THE DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL
    ANNE FRANK
  • THE GREAT GATSBY
    F. SCOTT FITZGERALD
  • TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
    HARPER LEE
  • HARRY POTTER (SERIES)
    J.K. ROWLING
  • A WRINKLE IN TIME
    MADELINE L’ENGLE
  • WHERE’S WALDO?
    MARTIN HANFORD
  • STAMPED: RACISM, ANTIRACISM, AND YOU
    IBRAM X. KENDI AND JASON REYNOLDS

CREATIVITY

This course is created specifically for students to go into the world with a more open and curious mind and with the tools to exercise compassion. To truly live empathetically takes intentional steps toward recognizing how we each can, in our everyday lives, choose to be inclusive and accepting. When we think outside of traditional boundaries and roles in society, we can intentionally create a society of understanding by challenging biases and stereotypes with knowledge and action. 

“Empathy is an extremely powerful tool and can make a big difference in people’s lives. I use it [as an EMT and Ski Patroller] to help make medical treatments equal for everyone and ensure that patients are listened to. I help advocate for what patients want for themselves and their family members and ensure that not just their medical treatment is equal but that they are treated equally emotionally as well.” - SOPHIA ’24

Gould’s mission is to “guide students to be creative, courageous and resilient and to lead lives of fulfillment and purpose.” Banned Books and Films provides the opportunity to develop students’ life skills through critical thinking, literary analysis, and meaningful discussion and conversation about real experiences in the world. Students mature emotionally and intellectually when faced with opposing viewpoints and how to navigate life to be welcoming and create places of belonging. 
“Using this class and empathy as building blocks for my future will help me not only figure out my place in the world but also help me develop connections that I otherwise would not have. This class taught me if there’s one thing you should do for another person, it’s listen.” - JAMES ’24

Personal stories and experiences, both past and present, can be hard to read, discuss, and hear—but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be listening, understanding, and acting to create a more equitable world for all. ◼︎
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Gould Academy guides students to be creative, courageous and resilient and to lead lives of fulfillment and purpose.