The act of banning books has been around for centuries and has been a big issue throughout time. The first book ban that took place in the United States was New English Canaan by Thomas Mortonn in 1637 in Massachusetts.
Books can be banned for a number of reasons. In Pennsylvania alone there are more than 450 books banned from schools and public libraries. Just during the 2021-2022 school year more than 1,600 books have been banned across the U.S. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas is one of the most challenged books of 2021 and 2022.
Recently, in states such as Florida, a newfound interest in book banning has once again emerged.. The more literature evolves around cultural and social issues, the more people are feeling the need to ban books that they don’t deem appropriate for students in schools and libraries across the country.
” I think being upfront about the material in the library is the key factor to creating less stigma. The world is uncomfortable. There are so many things in it that will cause discomfort or disgust to talk about but the fact of the matter is, if a student is old enough to ask about it, then they are old enough to be informed on it,” Senior Madison Ruddek expressed.
Ms. Black, an English teacher here at IHS, spoke on the topic stating, ”I think that it [book banning] could negatively affect a lot of students because teachers teach things that we enjoy and students tend to enjoy as well, and those materials often teach life lessons. Sometimes those life lessons are hard and as a result, so is the material.”
Another student Abbie Huey, a senior, shared her thoughts as well. “It is important we preserve our history and learn about the past instead of erasing it from our culture. Our history is what creates us and we have to learn from our mistakes to prevent them from happening again.”
[Photo by Addison McAfee] Freshman Meah Myers reading one of the most challenged books of 2023
Addison McAfee
Reporter
Addison is a freshman and a first-year reporter for the High Arrow. She enjoys reading and spends a lot of time outdoors. She enjoys spending time painting and going to the movies with her friends. She’s excited to start writing articles about IHS.
By CHRISTIAN BROWN Last year during IHS MiniTHON, twelve students cut and donated their hair for the cause. This year, you too can be one of them. Students can pick up a form outside of room 101 to volunteer to get their haircut at MiniTHON this year. MiniTHON benefits The
By LIZZIE OLSEN During the excitement of basketball season, it is important to show our appreciation for the girls that help bring all the games together. The IHS Dance Team has been performing at basketball games for many years, and there is a lot more that goes into it than
By ELIA DIETZ IHS Athena Club dedicated the month of February to women’s heart health awareness. To show support, Athena Club raised awareness by hosting a blood drive and posting signs around the high school. Students, staff, and teachers are encouraged to wear red every Friday through February in honor
By EMMA SHEERAN The Indiana Area Senior High School is putting on its annual musical this weekend, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, from Thursday, March 16 through Saturday, March 18. The production is one of IHS’s most extravagant. From outlandish costuming to wild set design to participants ranging from
By ELLA BARLEY The Indiana High School Quizbowl team finished the regular season ranked second in our region, going 7 and 1. They are now preparing for the playoffs. Senior Quizbowl member Jenna McLaine said, “It pushes me to excel academically and encourages me to go out and seek new
Submitted to The High Arrow by OLIVIA KRIMIN In recent years multiple sources including local news outlets and PennDOT, have reported that there are over 500 million pieces of trash scattered along Pennsylvania’s main roads. That’s about 39 pieces of trash for each individual person in Pennsylvania. As an Indiana