Making A Case For Using Challenged And Banned Young Adult Novels In The High School Classroom: Why It Matters And How To Begin

Censorship is an ever-prevalent issue found within the modern school system. It affects students, teachers, parents, other faculty members, and the curriculum as a whole. The English classroom specifically is most frequently targeted by would-be censors due to its close relationship with both canonical and more modern texts. In their attempt to prevent themselves from being the recipients of such backlash, many teachers opt-out of the use of certain texts altogether. This deprives the students of both engaging content and lessons to which they could personally relate. When content is altered or excised from the curriculum, students are not even aware that they are missing out on important knowledge regarding underrepresented cultures and perspectives on societal issues. This thesis serves as an exploration of the reasons why novels are challenged and banned and a defense of their usage in the classroom. Three specific young adult novels that have been frequently challenged are analyzed through the specific reasons they have been challenged. Additionally, these analyses include lesson plans which relate to students’ interests, concerns, and developmental situations and justify the texts’ usage in the classroom.