Introduction
The relatively recent decision of a Tennessee school board to ban the graphic novel Maus from its curriculum has sparked controversy over book banning and censorship. While some argue that it is necessary to protect students from offensive material, others argue that it is a violation of academic freedom. Censorship that has occurred in the past few years has been largely implemented by conservative groups, who claim to be motivated by a desire to protect children, but censorship from the left is also a concern. It is important to acknowledge that censorship from both sides is dangerous and a violation of free speech. Censorship like the ban on Maus has significant implications on academic freedom and the right to free expression. By increasing transparency in decision-making processes, educating students and parents on the importance of intellectual freedom, and pushing back against efforts to limit access to information, we can ensure that censorship efforts are met with resistance and that access to information is protected.
Censorship from the Right
The ban on Maus is just one example of the larger issue of book banning and censorship, which has become increasingly prevalent in recent years. Recent censorship events and initiatives have been largely implemented by conservative groups. For instance, this year alone, 137 gag order bills have been introduced in 36 state legislatures. In Virginia, a Republican state representative attempted to get a court to declare two young adult books, Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe and A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah Maas, as obscene. The case was dismissed, but if it had been successful, it could have made it illegal for bookstores and libraries to carry the books, or for private citizens to sell or share them throughout the state. Those seeking to ban books often do not have a plan for what will replace the banned book, especially when that book tackles difficult subjects like the Holocaust. For example, a 10-member McMinn County School Board unanimously voted earlier this month to remove Maus from its curriculum and replace it with an alternative, but that had not been decided at the time of the vote. Book censorship surged in 2022, with books dealing with race, gender, and sexuality being particularly targeted. It is crucial that educators and students alike remain vigilant in defending academic freedom and the right to free expression, and continue to push back against efforts to ban books and limit access to information.
Motivations
Conservative groups claim to be motivated by a desire to protect children when they call for censorship. With Maus, board member Tony Allman said he was also concerned about scenes in the book where mice were hung from trees and children were killed. The book also depicts suicide. He argued that “It is not wise or healthy” for the educational system to promote this kind of book. However, removing books from school curricula may have unintended consequences. For instance, a survey conducted in 2020 revealed that nearly two-thirds of Millennials and Gen Z don’t know that 6 million Jews were killed in the Holocaust. Additionally, almost half were not able to name a single concentration camp and 15% thought holding neo-Nazi views was acceptable. The survey demonstrated wide gaps in knowledge of the genocide, which can only be remedied with education. It is incredibly powerful to read accounts of real people in situations like the Holocaust because it puts a human face on the tragedy. Six million is an unimaginable amount and it is tempting to see statistics instead of people. But stories like Maus remind us that these were people, not numbers.
Censorship from the Left
Censorship doesn’t always come from the right; the left is often guilty as well. For instance, Macalester College, a left-leaning school in St. Paul, Minnesota, had to temporarily close Iranian American artist Taravat Talepasand’s “Taravat” exhibit because some Muslim students felt it made a mockery of modest Islamic dress, and thus of them. The students expressed their outrage, and the school responded by temporarily closing Talepasand’s show and surrounding the gallery windows with black curtains. This incident is similar to another recent controversy at Hamline University, where an adjunct art history professor named Erika López Prater was fired for showing a 14th-century painting of Muhammad in an art history class, despite telling students beforehand that she would and giving them the option not to attend that class. The motivations are similar to when conservatives censor; they are trying to protect someone (usually children or an oppressed group) and make sure that they are providing a safe space for everyone. The difficulty comes when an art exhibit or book challenges people’s conceived notions and instead of broadening views and opening up to new perspectives, they feel attacked and try to shut it down.
Talepasand’s Exhibit when it was temporarily closed. Photo courtesy of Talepasand’s
Motivations
We want people, especially young people, to feel like they belong in otherwise challenging spaces. However, art provokes, and it challenges. In the Macalester College case, Talepasand was expressing her conflicted feelings and her fear and anxiety through her art. The students it offended also have a right to be offended and to express their anger and hurt, but institutions and liberal people need to acknowledge that art sometimes offends. Giving people a warning and a way out so they don’t need to see that which offends them is one thing, but closing the exhibit down is another. The impulse to shut down anything that offends instead of fostering discussion is only going to hurt art in the long run. Safe spaces are incredibly important to the developing mind and especially for minority groups, but it cannot come at the cost of censoring art. People must be challenged by art. While liberal censorship may not be as extensive as censorship from the right, it still poses a threat to free speech and freedom of expression. It is important to acknowledge that censorship from both sides is dangerous and a violation of free speech.
Moving Forward
As the debate on book banning and censorship continues, it is important to remember the value of free expression and the dangers of censorship. By advocating for stronger connections between artist communities and digital rights groups and supporting laws that protect free expression, we can work towards a future where censorship is a thing of the past. It is important to recognize that censorship is often a complex issue and it often needs to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. However, several potential solutions have been proposed to combat censorship and protect free speech. For example, increasing public funding for the arts and education can help to promote a more diverse and inclusive cultural landscape, while also providing greater protection for intellectual freedom. Additionally, creating more opportunities for open dialogue and debate can help to foster greater understanding and empathy between different groups, which can in turn help to reduce the impulse toward censorship.
The future of censorship and free speech is uncertain, but several trends suggest that efforts to limit access to information and suppress free expression will continue to be a concern. It is important for educators and students to remain vigilant in defending academic freedom and the right to free expression, and to resist any attempts toban books or limit access to information.
Monument to Strangers and Refugees by Olu Oguibe met with right-wing fury because of the fear that it encouraged refugees. It was taken down as a reponse to the protests and then reinstalled two weeks later
By increasing transparency in decision-making processes, educating students and parents on the importance of intellectual freedom, and pushing back against efforts to limit access to information, we can ensure that censorship efforts are met with resistance and that access to information is protected. Regardless of the political leanings of those behind censorship, the impact on academic freedom and the right to free expression remains the same. The future of censorship and free speech is uncertain, but by remaining vigilant and working together, we can ensure that efforts to ban books and limit access to information are met with resistance and that the principles of academic freedom and the right to free expression are preserved