By Claire Burnett, Features Editor
This past Monday and Tuesday, March 7th and 8th, River Hill’s National English Honor Society (NEHS) hosted a banned book read-in during all lunch shifts. Students had a wide selection of books to read, with all of the books having been banned in certain countries or schools. The books were wrapped with caution tape that described the reasons for why the book was banned. Ranging from “Too intense for teens” to “Alcohol, communism, political theories, indecency, incites violence,” these books were prohibited for a vast number of reasons.
What’s the big deal with reading banned books? This event celebrated the freedom to read, which Howard County schools are fortunate to have, as many school districts or countries censor books. Ava Aria, the junior president of NEHS, organized this event. She mentioned “It is important for us to celebrate our freedom to read in Howard County since some students don’t have this basic freedom due to their district’s censorship.”
Ava remarked “I decided to bring this event to River Hill to raise awareness about the books that are banned and challenged in parts of the country.” Reminding students of their right to read, this event provided them with an opportunity to read controversial literature, enlightening them on how a book they might have read as part of an English class or just for fun was prohibited in certain areas.
During the event, students could choose from the dozens of books laid out on the media center tables. From Persepolis, a modern graphic novel about the Iranian Revolution, to Animal Farm, the classic satirical take on the Russian Revolution, this event had it all. Ms. Curry, one of the sponsors of NEHS, recalled that “there were people there every lunch period looking at books.”
Serena Goyal, a junior who attended the event, read Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe, which was banned for its views on slavery. Serena commented “the plot was amazing and the characters’ perseverance was truly inspiring. The book provided me with a new understanding of slavery and reminded me to hold onto hope.”
Another book from the event was Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, which was censored for “religious viewpoint, occult/satanic, [and] unsuited for age group”. The book was banned in numerous places, including Capistrano Unified School District in California, and all of Australia’s primary schools. In fact, Twilight was arguably the most challenged book in 2009, four years after its release. These are just a few examples of censored books, but it is far more common than one may expect.
Overall, the event was a huge success and it definitely reminded River Hill students of their right to read and freedom from literary censorship. Ava reflected on the event, commenting, “Our Banned Books Read-in event was pretty successful and definitely helped raise awareness about the censorship some students face.” Finally, Serena concluded “By reading banned books, I am able to corroborate multiple sources and reach more well-rounded conclusions. As a member of NEHS since sophomore year, I have been participating in fantastic reading and writing events and look forward to more in the future!”