Let The People Read, Let The Teachers Teach!

A child reading is a wonderful thing. I love how books have a way of opening up a person's world. Now that summer is here, many libraries and school districts are promoting their Summer Reading Programs. It's great to see the growing popularity of neighborhood book exchanges and Little Free Libraries, especially in areas around the country where book banning has become a hot topic issue. Teachers and librarians are professional and very skilled at what they do. When I was coming up, and way before all of this widespread book banning began to make the headlines, teachers and librarians simply would not allow certain books on the shelf if they thought that it wasn't appropriate. Some of these current book banning laws are an insult to our professional, dedicated teachers and librarians. Regardless of whatever, we should all be promoting and encouraging everyone to read, especially our children. Personally, I think that some politicians and lawmakers are taking the lazy approach when they approve an all-out book ban policy on certain books. Instead, the more wiser and more professional approach should be supporting policies that creates options and allow people to make choices. It's great when our elected officials and school districts create space and sections of the public library or the school library to have and proudly display a 'banned books' area. No matter what, we shouldn't be in the business of taking away books, but instead, we should be more involved in providing a greater number of books that promotes different viewpoints and cultures. This is the greatness of our devoted teachers and librarians. For years, these dedicated teachers and librarians have been allowing their students to make their own choices by having engaged discussions about what options are available. Let the teachers teach! Let the people read! One of the goals of the school system is to prepare our kids for the real world. If we take certain books away from our kids are we really preparing them for the real world? - Randolph Randy Camp (Photo: Grandson Noah and me) Side Note: Sadly but true, some of these current book banning laws in America are historically rooted in racism and bigotry. Once there was a time in America whereby there were laws on the books that made it illegal to teach slaves how to read or write. Also, Native American Boarding Schools tried to strip American Indian Tribes of their native language by way of assimilation. Racism and bigotry shows itself in the most unsuspecting places sometimes. It comes in all shapes and sizes. I'm a proud military veteran, but even I have seen and have personally experienced racism and bigotry while serving in the US Air Force. It's 2024 now, and the more I keep hearing about these current book banning laws here in America, the more I keep encouraging everyone, especially young kids, to read, read, read! - Randolph R. Camp