Literature has always been important throughout history and has allowed people to see the world in many different perspectives. It’s necessary to preserve the messages from these books for students in high schools so they can also go on to experience the world with different perspectives in mind. However, recently there have been some arguments about how certain books with literary merit should be banned from the curriculum due to their controversial content.

Books with literary merit explore complex themes and controversial topics which plays a crucial role in high school education. By reading these types of literature, students are able to confront different viewpoints and develop their own opinion on the issues being discussed in the novel. Banning these books is a disservice to students as it doesn’t allow them to get out of their comfort zone and read about more serious topics. 

Most of the time these books tackle social issues such as racism and allow the readers to have more of an understanding about them. One of the most well known of these books is To Kill a Mockingbird, and it not only exposes high school students to the injustices of the social system based on race, but it also allows them to gain insight and understand it from stories that impact them. By exposing high school students to these types of novels, they gain a broader perspective on the world, learn to appreciate diversity, and develop empathy for others. Banning such books robs students of these valuable opportunities, limiting their ability to understand different cultures, experiences, and perspectives, ultimately hindering their growth as compassionate and empathetic individuals.

High schools should allow students to have the freedom in reading about challenging ideas, and with books such as To Kill a Mockingbird and Of Mice and Men being banned it causes students to lose that freedom. Of Mice and Men explores themes of the nature of human existence and the impossibility of the American Dream. Reading about these types of topics helps students to get more of an insight on them. Students should have the liberty to engage with literature and form their own opinions, even if those opinions are contrary to prevailing norms. 

Not allowing students to read about controversial issues doesn’t help them in the long run because  they do not get to really learn about these serious topics. High school educators should focus on the growth of their students instead, and banning these books with literary merit does not support them that way.