Banned Books Tally Increasing

It appears that more often in America, we’re banning books, many of which have been enjoyed by readers and passed down from generation to generation.
Before I delve into book titles, I want to consider how and why books are banned. What is the process for banning a book? Who authorizes the banning of a book? Are book bans legal and constitutional?
Challenging a book is an attempt to ban a book from a library, school district, institution, organization, government entity, retailer, or publisher based on content. Challenges can either result in the book being banned or the ban can be overturned, and the book remains in circulation at the organization.
Official ordinances and rules that ban books are extremely difficult to make stick on any large scale in the United States because of our First Amendment rights to free speech and free press.
Reasons Why a Book is Banned
As of 2020, there were 10 major reasons why books are banned. They are sexual content (92.5%), offensive language (61.5%), unsuitable to the age group (49%), religious viewpoint (26%), LGBTQIA+ content (23.5%), violence (19%), racism (16.5%), use of illegal substance (12.5%), anti-family content (7%), and political viewpoint (6.5%).
https://firstamendmentmuseum.org/how-do-books-get-banned
I suppose we’ll be seeing more book bans as the new administration continues to reset the policy around education. Biden’s administration had been critical of the bans, appointing a coordinator to address complaints. Trump’s administration has since reversed Biden’s policies and eliminated the coordinator’s position, ruling that the complaints were without merit.
The process to ban a book is simple, a little too simple for a decision that has the potential to have an indelible and lasting effect on our society in several areas.
Challenging a book in Pennsylvania entails (1) Read the book, (2) Fill out the challenge form, (3) Explaining why the book is offensive, (4) Explaining where in the book the offensive action took place, (5) Present the case at a hearing.
Now that we know how and why books are banned, let’s take note of a title that has been deemed to be unreadable and explore the possibilities of why it was banned. (Going forward, I’ll be exploring 2 or 3 books on the Banned Book List, delving into the reasons these books are banned.)
The first title is Derrick Barnes’ “CROWN: An Ode to a Fresh Cut,” a book for young readers four to eight years old that explores the uplifting boost that young Black boys experience following a trip to the neighborhood barbershop. This book, banned from classrooms in Central York Pennsylvania, is the winner of the 2018 Kirkus Prize for Young Readers, a Newbery Honor Book, a Caldecott Honor Book, a Coretta Scott King Author Book, and named one of the best books of 2017 by NPR, the Huffington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and more.
So why is this book that speaks truth to and about the self-esteem and pride of young Black boys banned? Think about it… the destruction of self-esteem and pride in one’s self creates a sense of worthlessness. Our society has always found ways to break the confidence of African Americans. When people feel better about themselves, they have hope and do better. Why rob a kid of the small miracle contained in the 32 pages of a book because they can’t understand the culture, what it means, and how it connects generations of people? If the administrator who banned CROWN: Ode to a Fresh Cut had taken the time to visit a neighborhood barbershop in a Black community, he or she might have understood the significance of this book to young Black boys.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that the City of Philadelphia hosted the 33rd Annual African American Book Festival at the Convention Center this past weekend.