If there are laws to protect individuals in marginalized communities from discrimination in areas like employment, healthcare, and education, why shouldn’t there be laws to protect books that reflect their stories and experiences? Students at PHS and across the country deserve access to the voices of minority groups and a chance to learn about their lives and beliefs through literature. According to the American Library Association (ALA), censorship of books has increased by 65 percent from 2022 to 2023, with over 4,000 books containing themes of racial justice or gender identity being banned from public and school libraries. Recently, however, the New Jersey Senate has started to focus on preventing censorship to promote diversity.

On October 28, 2024, the Freedom to Read Act was passed by the New Jersey Senate, but is currently awaiting the approval of Governor Phil Murphy. This law will prevent books from being banned solely because of their origin, background, or views in public and school libraries. It aims to enforce the ALA’s Library Bill of Rights, which seeks to make libraries inclusive and diverse environments. This is especially important for students as access to more diverse literature allows them to build cultural awareness, empathy, and critical thinking.

In addition, if the Freedom to Read Act is approved, it will protect librarians. Currently, librarians face pressure to remove certain books, especially those dealing with sensitive topics such as race and gender. In 2023, a survey conducted by the School Library Journal found that 18 percent of elementary school librarians reported experiencing harassment, and the rate rose to 30 percent among librarians in high schools. Harassment often comes from parents who want to protect their children from content they consider harmful. It also often comes from political groups who oppose the representation of certain ideas, such as LGBTQ+ themes, in libraries. As a result, these people claim that librarians are spreading inappropriate content and pressure them to remove those books, despite a lack of evidence. With the Freedom to Read Act in place, librarians will be granted liability protection, encouraging them to do their jobs without fear of legal repercussions and harassment from the public, leading to a less stressful work environment.

The harmful effects of censorship on society are displayed in Ray Bradbury’s dystopian novel “Fahrenheit 451.” Bradbury’s novel is a direct reference to historical censorship events like the Nazi book burnings, where thousands of books, primarily written by Jewish authors or others considered “un-German,” were destroyed to control public thought. In the book, everything that goes against the government’s ideals are censored, leaving people desensitized and overly reliant on technology, making them unable to think for themselves. Individuals also refrain from sharing their opinions due to the fear of retribution. Today, the novel serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting individuality and preventing censorship from enforcing conformity and suppressing critical thought within individuals.

In a world where the voices of marginalized groups are suppressed, it is incredibly important to solve the issue of censorship and be able to connect with all communities. The Freedom to Read Act is one step towards this, but censorship still remains a concern: Pen America found that in the United States, there are over 40 educational gag orders that have become law in over 22 states, restricting topics such as race and gender to be taught in schools. Such policies prevent individuals from developing beliefs and critical thinking. With the Freedom to Read Act, New Jersey will set an example for other states to establish laws that restrain censorship. Now it is time for us to advocate and promote similar ideas that advocate for freedom of expression and access to diverse perspectives so that we can explore our own interests and beliefs without our rights being infringed by censorship.