Parents must be cautious not to infringe their personal beliefs on whole school districts or communities. At times, the protective instincts of parents can threaten the sanctity of the freedom of expression for those around them. Because parents often want to protect their children from the upsetting knowledge that comes with growing up, schoolchildren are kept from encountering new ideas and growing intellectually by not being allowed to read certain material. Parents have filed formal complaints with school boards in order to ensure that their children are not exposed to certain pieces of literature, which contain information that is considered, by parents, to be inappropriate. The numerous books that parents have a problem with can be distinguished by the fact that "all of these novels and writers cater to a younger audience while at the same time tackling mature subject matter- (Banned, par. 2). While protecting one's offspring is a concern that anyone can understand, there is a fine line between protecting a child from harm and inhibiting a child's education. Parental concern is expected, but that concern should not completely shelter young adults from the world around them. Young adults have the right to be exposed to real world situations, so that they can begin to form opinions and ideals for themselves. Book banning violates the personal freedom that each American citizen is given by the Constitution; therefore, the school board should revoke the decision to ban certain books from being used as educational sources. .
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees freedom of expression for every American citizen. This country is founded on the belief that individuals have the right to express themselves in anyway that they deem necessary, given that it doesn't physically harm others. The First Amendment states that the U.S. government cannot impede upon an American citizen's freedom of speech or of the press.
