Question 1: What are the risks of censorship?
The risks of censorship in books are that it can remove important information or details that are in the book. The censorship could cause the reader to lack what is going on in the book. Another risk of censorship is that it can effect how the reader understands the content in the book based off the words that were used. Some people may not understand some of the words that were censored. Another risk is that the book might have not even needed banning for the person who is reading. In To Kill a Mockingbird banning wasn't needed for us but it was. That didn't make me not want to read it though.
Question 2: What are the rewards of censorship?
The rewards of censorship in books are that it can make the book more appropriate for the people who are reading it. The censorship in the book can make the book more age-appropriate for the people who are reading it. The censorship could also let the reader understand the new content better than the old and less appropriate content that was used before the censorship. The censorship in To kill a Mockingbird was helpful because it just took out bad language and some racial comments.
Question 3: Is some censorship okay, but not other censorship?
Some censorship is okay in books as long as the story stays the same and it doesn't affect the plot. I think that if the plot changes due to the censorship then the censorship should be removed. If the censorship is making the book more appropriate then the censorship is okay and is making it more appropriate for the reader. If it is in middle school then it is okay because it removes some of the bad content. It has some racial slurs that may be offensive to the reader and the censorship can remove that. The censorship can help the reader understand the content that is used in the book. The censorship can also prevent the reader from understanding the content. Censoring To Kill a Mockingbird is ok because we are reading it as a class.
Question 6: Is censorship in schools a good thing?
Censorship in books at school is normally a good thing. Censoring books at school can remove some of the inappropriate details or content that is in the book. I think that if some one wants to read a book and they think they are ready for the content in the book then they should be able to read it. However censorship in books for people that are in high school isn't needed as much as it is for middle school students because the people in high school should be mature enough to handle it. Most high schoolers wouldn't care if a book was banned but probably wouldn't notice if the book was censored. The censoring can help the reader understand some of the words that the author used in the book. Censoring books for elementary schools is good because it is removing the content that do not need to learn yet.
Question 9: Whose duty is it to determine what is acceptable and unacceptable?
I think that the people who are going to read the book should be in charge of censoring or banning books. Also, I think that the parents of kids who are going to read the book should be in charge of the banning. Another person who should be in charge is the library at which the books are going to go to. If their is a project that they are doing in class over a book then the teachers should decide. But if the students are in high school then they should be able to choose if it is or not.
Question 10:Are there certain topics that should always be taboo?
Yes there are topics that should always be taboo. These topics can include inappropriate language, offensive comments, self harm, religion, racism, and diversity. To Kill a Mockingbird had inappropriate language, racism, and offensive comments in it. If some one reads about self harm in a book they could be pushed to do it in real life. Or racism when people get mad at other people they can say offensive things about someone else's race. Religion should not be brought up in a book unless the book is strictly about one type of religion. If a book offends someone because of the info on religion in it then the religion in it should be removed or tabooed. If a book offends someone about them being diverse then that content should be removed from the book. Being diverse isn't a bad thing but books can make it look like that.
The risks of censorship in books are that it can remove important information or details that are in the book. The censorship could cause the reader to lack what is going on in the book. Another risk of censorship is that it can effect how the reader understands the content in the book based off the words that were used. Some people may not understand some of the words that were censored. Another risk is that the book might have not even needed banning for the person who is reading. In To Kill a Mockingbird banning wasn't needed for us but it was. That didn't make me not want to read it though.
Question 2: What are the rewards of censorship?
The rewards of censorship in books are that it can make the book more appropriate for the people who are reading it. The censorship in the book can make the book more age-appropriate for the people who are reading it. The censorship could also let the reader understand the new content better than the old and less appropriate content that was used before the censorship. The censorship in To kill a Mockingbird was helpful because it just took out bad language and some racial comments.
Question 3: Is some censorship okay, but not other censorship?
Some censorship is okay in books as long as the story stays the same and it doesn't affect the plot. I think that if the plot changes due to the censorship then the censorship should be removed. If the censorship is making the book more appropriate then the censorship is okay and is making it more appropriate for the reader. If it is in middle school then it is okay because it removes some of the bad content. It has some racial slurs that may be offensive to the reader and the censorship can remove that. The censorship can help the reader understand the content that is used in the book. The censorship can also prevent the reader from understanding the content. Censoring To Kill a Mockingbird is ok because we are reading it as a class.
Question 6: Is censorship in schools a good thing?
Censorship in books at school is normally a good thing. Censoring books at school can remove some of the inappropriate details or content that is in the book. I think that if some one wants to read a book and they think they are ready for the content in the book then they should be able to read it. However censorship in books for people that are in high school isn't needed as much as it is for middle school students because the people in high school should be mature enough to handle it. Most high schoolers wouldn't care if a book was banned but probably wouldn't notice if the book was censored. The censoring can help the reader understand some of the words that the author used in the book. Censoring books for elementary schools is good because it is removing the content that do not need to learn yet.
Question 9: Whose duty is it to determine what is acceptable and unacceptable?
I think that the people who are going to read the book should be in charge of censoring or banning books. Also, I think that the parents of kids who are going to read the book should be in charge of the banning. Another person who should be in charge is the library at which the books are going to go to. If their is a project that they are doing in class over a book then the teachers should decide. But if the students are in high school then they should be able to choose if it is or not.
Question 10:Are there certain topics that should always be taboo?
Yes there are topics that should always be taboo. These topics can include inappropriate language, offensive comments, self harm, religion, racism, and diversity. To Kill a Mockingbird had inappropriate language, racism, and offensive comments in it. If some one reads about self harm in a book they could be pushed to do it in real life. Or racism when people get mad at other people they can say offensive things about someone else's race. Religion should not be brought up in a book unless the book is strictly about one type of religion. If a book offends someone because of the info on religion in it then the religion in it should be removed or tabooed. If a book offends someone about them being diverse then that content should be removed from the book. Being diverse isn't a bad thing but books can make it look like that.