# Ban books from the library to "protect" children? Fine. We're banning your children! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Tags:** books-writing-myths\ **Created:** [May 20, 2024, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-books-from-the-library-to-protect-children-fine-were-banning-your-children/1001819 "2024-05-20T18:52:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2024, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-books-from-the-library-to-protect-children-fine-were-banning-your-children/1001819/21 "2024-05-21T19:59:19Z")
Want some extra rage? Read this article by someone who wants to ban a friendly elementary-school reading competition, Battle of the Books: > **[Battling against activism in school ‘Battle of the Books’ selections](https://www.carolinajournal.com/opinion/battling-against-activism-in-school-battle-of-the-books-selections/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR1ni05OCAN_JqZh8v2hHt4zdvTtcdTf2GTMuQ98Nb_EufECbYDVFAm338k_aem_Adl8wQ0Vg85-OzcaZnvdxmuFjYbNCPjlC5fIxxB-sjXzJymRJIOWc8apJTOgp80bncDf6kxk8U6pnO5TLMOin8LS)** > > Should activism be promoted in classrooms? Most of the general population would say, no, it does NOT belong. But the actions of outside organizations with powerful influence on education are worrisome to parents across the state. The question... Her reason for wanting to ban it? One of the books in this year’s competition is called (I’m not making this up) Ban this Book: > **[Ban This Book - Alan Gratz](https://www.alangratz.com/writing/ban-this-book/)** > > Well-behaved women seldom make history. It all started the day Amy Anne Ollinger tried to check out her favorite book in the whole world, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, from the school library. That’s when Mrs. Jones, the... and its plot is that a kid is at a school where books are banned, and the kid fights back. Yes: because Battle of the Books has a book against book-banning, the author wants to ban Battle of the Books. Which brings me to one of my favorite lines: > **[TOP 9 QUOTES BY TOM PAXTON | A-Z Quotes](https://www.azquotes.com/author/33139-Tom_Paxton)** > > Discover Tom Paxton famous and rare quotes. Share Tom Paxton quotations about politics, school and eyes. "Some people you don't have to satirize, you..." (Oh: bonus fun, the author of that article is a school board member). ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2024, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-books-from-the-library-to-protect-children-fine-were-banning-your-children/1001819/22 "2024-05-21T23:26:51Z")
> [@Jihi](#): > > OTOH, I don’t like the fact that the children who need access to the library the most are the least likely to receive it now. Typical librah entitlement, thinking kids have a ‘need’ to read. Once we put them back to work in the coal mines, we won’t be hearing any more about this entitled ‘reading’ nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2024, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-books-from-the-library-to-protect-children-fine-were-banning-your-children/1001819/23 "2024-05-23T15:35:05Z")
Outside of a coal mine, a book is a child’s best friend… ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2024, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-books-from-the-library-to-protect-children-fine-were-banning-your-children/1001819/24 "2024-05-23T15:38:06Z")
Inside a coal mine, it’s a flashlight. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2024, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-books-from-the-library-to-protect-children-fine-were-banning-your-children/1001819/25 "2024-05-23T15:55:26Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > Inside a coal mine, it’s a flashlight And inside a dog, a child’s best friend is an emetic. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2024, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-books-from-the-library-to-protect-children-fine-were-banning-your-children/1001819/26 "2024-05-23T16:00:05Z")
If I were a librarian, I would have made the special Adult-only 18+ area as required and place one and only one book in there - The Bible. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2024, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-books-from-the-library-to-protect-children-fine-were-banning-your-children/1001819/27 "2024-05-23T16:09:23Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > I’m pretty sure that many if not most hard core conservatives would agree with this provided you shut down all of the public libraries first. This. I think the end-game for these morons is the banning of all libraries, full stop. They don’t want ANY people to read. Reading gives you ideas, and ideas are the tool of Satan. They would like people to remain ignorant. “I love the poorly educated” ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2024, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-books-from-the-library-to-protect-children-fine-were-banning-your-children/1001819/28 "2024-05-23T16:39:47Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I think the end-game for these morons is the banning of all libraries, full stop. As others have posted in other threads, if public libraries were a new idea they’d never get past a draft proposal in today’s political climate. I’m actually surprised we haven’t seen more red districts just shutting them down. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2024, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-books-from-the-library-to-protect-children-fine-were-banning-your-children/1001819/29 "2024-05-23T18:10:24Z")
Huh. I’ve never been able to use a book as a flashlight. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2024, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-books-from-the-library-to-protect-children-fine-were-banning-your-children/1001819/30 "2024-06-07T12:10:50Z")
> [@Jihi](#): > > OTOH, I don’t like the fact that the children who need access to the library the most are the least likely to receive it now. I just don’t see people calling for bans as being the type to take personal interest in their children’s education. And moreover, it’s yet one more thing those kids are no longer allowed to do without constant adult supervision. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2024, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-books-from-the-library-to-protect-children-fine-were-banning-your-children/1001819/31 "2024-06-07T12:59:16Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > I’ve never been able to use a book as a flashlight. I use the same thing as a book, a flashlight, and various other purposes. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2024, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-books-from-the-library-to-protect-children-fine-were-banning-your-children/1001819/32 "2024-06-07T13:05:48Z")
Well duh, books are only good for kindling. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2024, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-books-from-the-library-to-protect-children-fine-were-banning-your-children/1001819/33 "2024-06-07T15:35:50Z")
> [@Edward\_The\_Head](#): > > Well duh, books are only good for kindling.‎ Now I get why it’s called a Kindle!!! 😵 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-books-from-the-library-to-protect-children-fine-were-banning-your-children/1001819.md?page=1)