“Fahrenheit 451.” “To Kill a Mockingbird.” “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” “The Bluest Eye.” “The Hunger Games.” “Beloved.”
These are just a few of the widely known books that have faced bans in American schools and libraries. Each of these books holds an important place in literature, yet they have been challenged or removed for their themes and messages. The discussion of book bans has become increasingly relevant, leading to an eye-opening project in AP Language and Composition.
For the first time, AP Lang students at West Chicago Community High School are engaging in a project focused on banned books. The assignment encourages students to read books that have been challenged or censored and reflect on why these books are important. English teachers Brian Turnbaugh and Healy Rodman see the project as a way for students to critically examine censorship and the reasons behind it.
“So what we want to do is take a very topical idea about censorship,” Turnbaugh said, “and what’s underneath censorship is who gets to say what information or cultural ideals you can be exposed to. Who has the power to do that? And so you have a lot of different aspects that we want our students to confront.”
The project not only prompts discussions about censorship but also allows students to choose their own books, ensuring they engage with literature that resonates with them. Junior Nick Riconosciuto finds the assignment particularly valuable.
“I think the AP Lang assignment is wonderful! The concept of picking out books to read specifically because they have been challenged or banned is not an entirely new one, but it is delightfully smart,” Riconosciuto said. “By loudly clamoring for the removal of books with diverse perspectives and controversial ideas, challengers have created public, extensive lists of books with diverse perspectives and controversial ideas. These make fantastic reading lists.”
The issue of book bans has long been debated, with proponents arguing that certain content is inappropriate for young readers and opponents maintaining that restricting books stifles intellectual growth and diverse viewpoints. Riconosciuto strongly opposes the practice.
“I feel that banning books is always either evil or immature,” he said. “Restricting information is a classic way to ruin a relationship or a society. It’s usually done for the purpose of perpetuating hate and oppression, and when it isn’t, it usually stems from an embarrassingly narrow-minded misunderstanding of a book’s message.”
Some students in the class, like Riconosciuto, have discovered new favorite books through the project. While browsing the selection provided by Turnbaugh, he came across “Looking for Alaska” by John Green.
“Upon reading ‘Looking for Alaska’, I fell in love with Green’s charismatic, philosophical writing style and have spent the subsequent two weeks tearing my way through every single one of his novels: ‘Paper Towns,’ ‘The Fault in Our Stars,’ ‘An Abundance of Katherines,’ and ‘Turtles All the Way Down,’” Riconosciuto said. “Conveniently for me, but still, of course, tragically, all of these books have been banned somewhere in America, so they are eligible for this project.”
Turnbaugh emphasizes that the project is not just about reading banned books but about critically analyzing the broader implications of censorship.
“I think that censorship isn’t a one-size-fits-all scenario,” Turnbaugh said. “Sometimes it comes down to whether a book is age-appropriate, but other times, it is about people in positions of power not wanting certain ideas to be widely discussed. Those are the conversations we want students to have.”
The assignment has left many students with a greater appreciation for literature and the freedom to access diverse perspectives. For Riconosciuto, the project solidified his belief in the power of books to challenge and change society.
“Reading about all the books that have been banned in America has given me a deeper appreciation for the power literature holds in society,” Riconosciuto said. “In almost every modern case, a book is challenged for the purpose of oppressing and silencing minority voices. Historically, books written about discrimination and societal oppression have played key roles in our progress toward social justice. So removing such books from public access means not only silencing minorities but fighting against societal improvement as a whole.”
By engaging with banned books, AP Lang students are not only reading—they are confronting censorship head-on, questioning the motivations behind it, and fostering their intellectual and personal growth. And for many, this project has reinforced a simple but powerful idea: knowledge should always be available to those who seek it.
