Banned Books Week: An Open Letter to Parents

Banned Books Week: 
September 22-28, 2013

Today is the first day of 2013's Banned Books Week.  The timing is impeccable, because about a week ago, news broke that Rainbow Rowell was disinvited from a planned visit to a Minnesota school and library to discuss her recent book, Eleanor & Park.  A group of high school librarians who are fans of the book arranged the visit, but when two "concerned parents" got wind of it, they raised holy hell because E&P is "dangerously obscene."  These parents, with the assistance of a group called the Parents Action League, not only successfully managed to get Rowell's high school and library visits cancelled, but they are also pushing for disciplinary action against the librarians.  Yes, let's fire the librarians!

So, what's so terrible about Eleanor & Park?  I'll bet these two degenerates, Eleanor and Park, spend their days slaughtering puppies and kittens, right?  Welllll, no.  Apparently there are some naughty words in E&P.  These two parents counted up 227 naughty words, to be precise.  And therefore, no visit from Rowell, and librarians are at risk of being fired.

It boggles my mind that two parents, with WAY too much time on their hands, successfully wielded the power of censorship, thereby harming every other child in the school district and infringing upon their rights, as well as the rights of those children's parents.  I have a few words of advice for these parents:

If you work yourself into a tizzy over the words and actions of fictional characters in books, I have to say that I'm very happy for you.  If the biggest threat your child faces is the potential exposure to naughty words and sexy times in books, then congratulations, because you have won the parental lottery.  I am happy, because if you are able to devote so much time to deciding what the children of other parents should be allowed to read, your own children must be doing spectacularly well.  You would not have the energy for this if your own child is failing school, or dying of cancer, or homeless, or a victim of sexual or physical abuse, or a drug or alcohol addict, or pregnant, or in a gang, or in jail, or any number of things that are infinitely more terrible than being exposed to bad words in books.  Be grateful for what you have, and understand that many parents aren't as fortunate as you.

"But Stephanie," you say, "I have spent HOURS counting up the bad words in Eleanor & Park and getting a school and a library to disinvite Rainbow Rowell from speaking.  What on earth should I do with my time now???"  I'm so glad you asked, because I have some great ideas for you!

• How about using your time and energy to volunteer at a suicide hotline or at a homeless shelter for teens?  
• Why don't you become a Big Brother or Big Sister to a child who is not as fortunate to have a parent as involved as you?  
• Why don't you volunteer to read to young children at a high poverty school?  (I actually did this - it was a very rewarding experience.)  
• Why don't you volunteer to spend time and play with sick and dying children at a hospital?  They love to see new faces (especially faces of people who aren't poking at them and sticking them with needles), and you could give their distressed and exhausted parents a much-needed break.  
• Why don't you sign up for a guardian ad litem program to be a court advocate for abused children, if it's available in your state?  This would allow you to detail bad behaviors of actual human beings, rather than fictional ones.  You know that rage you feel every time you counted up another utterance of "f***" in E&P?  Imagine the rage you would feel having to detail horrible accounts of child abuse at the hands of their parents to a judge, and channel that rage into providing some protection to these children.  
• Why don't you tutor a student who is falling behind in school?  
• Why don't you help to solve the problem of children who are actually having sex and getting pregnant, rather than worry about fictional characters having sex?

I promise you that whatever satisfaction you feel as a result of successfully getting books banned will be multiplied a thousandfold if you instead engage in activities that will benefit ACTUAL, LIVING, BREATHING children who are suffering.  Because there are way too many out there who could use your help.

Back to Eleanor & Park - I purchased a copy about a month ago, but I haven't had the chance to read it yet.  I did, however, recently read Rowell's latest book, Fangirl, and I loved it.  I'm well aware of all of the raves about E&P from fellow bloggers, so, in support of Banned Books Week, I'm going to finally read E&P.  And I just may count up the naughty words to see if there truly are 227.

I will also try to read David Levithan's new book, Two Boys Kissing, which I just got from the library last week.  I think the phrase "conniption fit" might apply if these parents were to set their eyes on this cover:

Your turn!  I'd love to hear your thoughts on this E&P debacle or on censorship in general.  And are you planning anything for Banned Books Week?