K-12 education has always received a serious amount of attention in the United States of America. Sadly, in recent times, it seems that the educational system has been in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.

To be clear, the concept of banning books in school libraries isn’t a novel idea. On the contrary, it is something that the country has had to struggle with for quite a while. However, things are coming to a head and it appears that we’re intent on making the wrong decision.

The political right and left have made it a habit of disagreeing about everything under the sun. That being said, removing books from class curricula (for different ideological reasons, obviously) appears to be one measure that both sides heartily subscribe to. If anything, their only disagreement here is what books need to be axed.

The fact that there’s something that these two polarizing sides agree on would normally make one think that there is, perhaps, some merit to banning books. However, whether we’re talking about removing “The Bluest Eye,” “To Kill a Mockingbird,” or “The Hate U Give” from libraries, one thing is certain; it is a clear violation of this great nation’s First Amendment.

As such, book banning is not only highly unconstitutional but it should also be seen for what it is – a threat to modern civilization as we know it.

Some things have become so commonplace that we think we already know all there is to know about them. Yet, there are usually facets to these concepts that aren’t always immediately within our ken. The First Amendment typifies this in a way that only a few other things ever could.

Ask any average American what the First Amendment is and they’ll immediately tell you that it’s the right to free speech. However, only a handful of people truly understand the ramifications and implications of its application. I can say this because, if more people understood the essence and spirit of the First Amendment, there wouldn’t even be a debate about something like banning library books, to begin with. Everyone would know from the get-go that performing such a terrible act would constitute a direct attack on what is supposed to be a fundamental human right.

On some level, it isn’t hard to see why many people mightn’t immediately see just how the movement to ban books is in any capacity an infringement of the First Amendment. Moving forward, let’s set aside the fact that these bans do not directly violate the letter of the law. Rather, let’s take into account only the implications of enforcing such a concept.

Starting from the top, implementing book bans in schools sends a covert yet clear message – students don’t have the same rights as adults. They don’t deserve or need to know certain things. More specifically, it gives the impression, real or not, that the rights of students become significantly diminished from the moment they step on the school premises.

Is it so hard to imagine how such a notion can negatively shape the minds of young and growing individuals? Is this really being done in a country that is supposed to value democracy and the freedom of the people above all else?

Surely, it can’t be hard to see that walking such a path can only end poorly.

In saying the above, let’s not forget to take into account the fact that the forbidden is quite often desirable. Using the power of the government or some other authority to make certain texts inaccessible won’t only be interpreted as a sign of tyranny and oppression but it might actually pique the interest of these students to seek out these works to the extreme. The result of this is that they may find and absorb these materials under conditions that don’t favor the ideal interpretation of the literature.

Essentially, they may pick up the wrong lessons from these books, and, as a result, our society as a whole becomes much more diminished.

The simple truth is that, despite our best efforts, it is possible that library curation will never be completely neutral. But even with this, it is both necessary and constitutional that students have unabridged access to counternarratives and diverse texts in their learning environments. That is the real freedom that the First Amendment promises and defends.

When students can freely go through different books, they are exposed to a vibrant and colorful marketplace of different thoughts and ideas. This gives them the space to sift through, find, and develop their philosophies.

Banning controversial texts is a misguided way of protecting young minds. It not only doesn’t protect minority rights but it actually even starts to sabotage it at some point.

All too easily, we forget that things like “light” and “good” are given meaning because we know what their opposites are. If anything, light is defined and given real meaning only in the presence of darkness.

As adults, we know our right from our left. But we only have this realization and understanding because we were given the latitude to acquire it. We don’t necessarily always “know better” than kids and there’s no better time than the present to remember this fact.

Let’s not compromise our future, violate the rights of students, or compromise the enrichment of our society by banning books. It is to guard against threats like these that the First Amendment exists in the first place.

Students have a mind of their own. So, why not trust them to use it?

It’s high time we stopped the violation of the First Amendment in schools!