Banning books will not stop children from finding out what they want to know

To the Editor:

In response to “Latest front in the culture wars: school library books”: It’s a very naive parent/teacher who believes that removing (banning) books will do anything to prevent their children from asking questions and researching on their own. Anything on the issues of sex and sexual behaviors, gender identification, sexual orientation, social norms (police, etc.) will be found by the children when they want to know. When they’re asking the questions, they will find the answers.

I had a brother who was gay, way back in the late ’50s, early ‘60s. He didn’t need a book to know he was different. Nothing was accessible, if it even existed, to “teach” him to be gay. All that he had available was the fear, self-loathing and judgment of others to guide him. Not very helpful!

Banning books has never worked, mostly only backfires. If we don’t learn from past errors, we are doomed to repeat them.

Patt Reid

Byram Township