Banned Books in the USA

There has been a wave of book banning in America recently, especially books

relating to race and LGBTQ+ subjects. A banned book is any that has been censored, banned or where its removal or restriction has been called for from libraries, schools, bookshops, or public circulation. A book might be challenged by individuals, private pressure groups or governments who disagree with its content or message and therefore wish to censor or silence the author’s voice. 

A Tennessee school board has just banned Pulitzer prize-winning novel Maus: A Survivor’s Tale by Art Spiegelman from its classrooms. Maus is a hand drawn graphic novel which tells the story of how the author’s parents survived the Holocaust despite both being sent to the Auschwitz death camp. The Tennessee school board members said they felt the inclusion of swear words in the graphic novel were inappropriate. The decision was made just weeks before Holocaust Memorial Day, which takes place each year to remember the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust. Maus: A Survivor’s Tale is available to borrow from the Upper Library and is highly recommend for our older students. 

Contributor: Ms Peters

Thank you to Ms Rodgerson from our History Department for bringing this story from the Guardian Newspaper to our attention.  To read the article click here.