Banned Book Week: a week at the end of September where one can celebrate the right to be able to read whatever is desired. It’s a nation-wide event, and it’s based on a history of backlash against children being able to read certain books. From a children’s book like No David! by David Shannon, to the worldwide best-selling Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, there are thousands of books that have been challenged or deemed as inappropriate for a child’s mind.

Mrs. Fisher, our librarian here at Canyon, experienced parents trying to censor their child in her own career when she was a teacher. She was teaching the book, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor, which is known to be relatively graphic, show hate crimes and acts of racism, and use what we see today as strong language. A student’s parent didn’t want their child to be exposed to such things, and refused to let their child read it. Now, schools have options in place in case this happens and the student is able to just read another book. But later on in the student’s high school career, they wrote an essay on the experience and how they were denied an opportunity to learn about inequality that changed how they grew into a young adult.

This case is just one of many. Banned Book Week brings the conversation of censorship to the table, so kids and teens can discuss it with their teachers and parents.

Canyon also uses Banned Book Week to showcase some of the talent of our student body by holding a contest to see what people can create when given the prompt “Banned Books.” Below is the first prize winner with her drawing contrasting the quote: “Yes, books are dangerous. They should be dangerous. They contain ideas.” -Pete Hautman