Saturday, February 11, 2012

Book Ban in the Tuscon Unified School District

The Tuscon Unified School District currently has a book "Censorship" taking place due to the determination of Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction John Hupenthal. His claim is that these chosen books "contain content promoting resentment toward a race or a class of people" and that "materials repeatedly reference white people as being 'oppressors...' in violation of state law." These books, which so many of us have read throughout high school and college have been boxed up and put in storage. Some of these books include the following, House on Mango Street by S. Cisneros, Zorro by I. Allende, The Tempest by W. Shakespeare, Bless Me Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya and over a hundred other books.

Does it happen to be a coincidence that the majority of the books happen to be stories or facts on Hispanic and Native American Historical events or people who are also considered the "social" minority in Arizona? Who are these people who get to say that these books should be banned? They are claiming it to be a "censorship" but in the long run it is a BAN. It is definitely now considered AGAINST THE LAW to pick up one of these books and read it! What happened to our First Amendment which gives us the right to read, speak and think freely applies to all, regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, religion, or national origin?