Talk Of Banning Books Misses Their Education Value

Talk Of Banning Books Misses Their Education Value

The political theater at the recent school board meeting of the School District of Indian River County was disrespectful to those of us who assembled to support and encourage resistance to the racist decapitation of history by the Republican administration in Florida.

Uneducated zealots salaciously quoted the “nasty” parts of books out of context, disregarding the beneficial aspects of those books. High school and middle school students who are experiencing sexual confusion, abuse, coercion, rape or incest, or whose parents do not discuss their right to bodily autonomy benefit from literature that does address those challenging issues.

Young people need to see how tough situations can be avoided or addressed. Banning books about difficult matters does not stop them from occurring among our children every day. It only leaves young people living in confusion, guilt and shame.

Caryl Zook, Vero Beach