I’m just going to come out and say it, I think banning books is the most ridiculous thing ever.

Why should a book, for example Mark Twain’s “Tom Sawyer,” be banned for its use of the n-word? Just because someone could get offended, the entire book has to either be censored or thrown out altogether.

“Tom Sawyer” was obviously not written in the modern age and is actually historically accurate, given the social context. When this novel was written, it was socially appropriate to use the n-word.

I’m not saying it’s okay to say the n-word, but books should not be banned from schools because someone could get offended.

It’s hard enough for people to even bother picking up a book today, with everyone owning a smartphone and social media being a priority over everything. Banning books that are classics and can teach people something really only hurts students.

These days, kids are exposed to so much more than what they might read in an assigned book that is contextually accurate. I think it’s time for people to stop being so overly sensitive about certain things and not about others.

It’s good for children to read books like Mark Twain’s because they’re an easy history lesson that kids can understand.

Some people argue to change the wording of books, but what’s the point of keeping those books in the schools when you have already changed the context of the story?

I’d rather the book be banned and read it at home than see some revised version that isn’t accurate to the true story.

Students can learn more on their own with the original book than the edited version assigned in a classroom.

The banning of books in schools is a controversial subject and everyone has their own take on it, but taking something like books, especially classics, away from kids who already have a tough time opening up a book is detrimental to their education.

Students should be encouraged to learn more after reading books. Learning more about the era in which these books were written can help student become more culturally aware of what the world was back then and how that shaped the world as it is today.