Students passing through the Clear Springs library may see the Banned Book Week display, celebrating some of the books that have been challenged in schools around the United States. Students are free to not only read but learn about why they were questioned.

The American Library Association (ALA) sets aside one week during the school year for libraries to feature banned books. Many of them are prohibited because they discuss homosexuality, race and racism, violence, and controversial topics, but in reading books that include these subjects, students are able to form their own opinions and expand their horizons. “I’m not afraid of students reading them and thinking critically,” Mrs. King, CSHS librarian. During this week, King shared that students are allowed intellectual freedom during their reading.

When you walk into the library, to the right is the display of banned books, each with a description of where and why they were challenged. Some of the books include “Two Boys Kissing” by David Levithan, “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas and “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky. Texas school districts have collectively banned books 801 times, but CCISD allows students more freedom with what they read, and these titles are present on our library’s shelves year-round.