OPINION | Leave The Book Banning To The Fascists, Trumbull

At best, book banning is detrimental to the mental health of the very students it intends to protect. At worst, it is an attack on American democracy.

At a Board of Education meeting in Trumbull, Connecticut on February 6, parents gathered to express their concerns about the tenth grade english curriculum. They claimed the assigned reading contained “explicit sexual content,” and called for it to be removed.

“I was shocked and appalled by what I read when I picked up the book and began to read it,” said Jordana Thompson, a parent of a Trumbull High School student.

The book in question? The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. A New York Times bestseller, the book grapples with themes of adolescence and identity, including sexuality, drug use, rape and mental health.

Book banning has become all too common in school districts across the United States. Unfortunately, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a common target. It has appeared six times on the American Library Association’s yearly list of the top ten most frequently censored books. 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a bestseller for a reason. Beyond the subject matter, Chbosky masterfully captures the emotional complexity of a teenager, without sacrificing any level of intimacy. His narration is raw and authentic, a true portrayal of adolescence and coming of age. Simply put, The Perks of Being a Wallflower would not hold the same weight if it failed to tackle the difficult themes present within the text.

“You publish a book, in part, to end the silence about certain issues. Every time this happens, I just think about that one kid in a community who could really use the book,” said Stephen Chbosky, author of The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

Concerned parents such as Jordana Thompson may mean well, however they feed into a growing problem. In recent years, numerous groups have taken on the explicit purpose of challenging books taught in K-12 education. They prey on uninformed parents in order to censor and ban diverse books.

Moms for Liberty, a nonprofit group which claims to empower parents, is leading the charge on diverse books in education. A recent PEN America report found that 81% of school districts that banned books between July of 2022 and June of 2023 either had a local chapter of Moms for Liberty or were adjacent to a county that did. 

The Fairfield County chapter of Moms for Liberty, which houses Trumbull, was formed in May of 2022. 

Moms for Liberty manipulates parents by exploiting their weak spot: their children. All parents want to keep their children safe. That being said, books like The Perks of Being a Wallflower are not what they need to be protected from. For this reason, the Southern Poverty Law Center deemed Moms for Liberty to be an extremist group.

While Moms for Liberty disguises itself as a champion of parental rights, other groups are less coy about their goals. Courage Is A Habit markets itself as a first line of defense, protecting students from indoctrination. They publish misleading fact sheets on LGBTQ+ identities and critical race theory, in an attempt to spread disinformation.

Multiple Courage Is A Habit pamphlets refer to the LGBTQ+ community as a “Transgender Cult.” One handout falsely claims that “pornographic and obscene books have flooded the K-12 education system.”

The types of books being challenged reveal the harmful nature of book banning. 41% of banned books contain LGBTQ+ content, while 40% have a main character of color. 21% address issues of racism, and 22% address sexual assault.

A vast amount of banned books “feature people who are marginalized, and already at risk for negative mental health consequences,” said Dr. Allison Bashe, a psychologist at New Directions Mental Health.

In 2021, half of the top ten most frequently censored books were banned because of LGBTQ+ content. Their censorship takes a mental toll on LGBTQ+ students. 

According to Dr. Bashe, “having access to literature that features people who look like you, feel like you and experience the world like you do is critical.” Studies agree. One 2014 study suggests that children exposed to banned books exhibit more social and civic behaviors than their counterparts.

At best, book banning is detrimental to the mental health of the very students it intends to protect. At worst, it is an attack on American democracy.

Since 2021, almost 160 educational censorship bills have been filed in almost 40 states, with 12 of them having become law. Of those bills, most targeted K-12 education, and some even required mandatory punishment for those found in violation.

These proposed censorship laws undermine the trust that parents have placed in the American education system.

According to a 2021 Connecticut Department of Education report, Trumbull Public Schools are ranked fourth in the state overall. Trumbull High School is well-equipped to educate students on The Perks of Being a Wallflower and other such books.

The next Board of Education meeting will be held on February 20th, where the debate is expected to continue. One can only hope Stephen Chbosky will prevail.