President Biden held a special Rose Garden event on Monday, April 24, dedicated to the nation’s teachers.
Biden recognized the nation’s outstanding teachers for their commitment and personal sacrifices in supporting students. He addressed pressing issues like gun violence and book bans, emphasizing that teaching should not involve life-threatening risks and that educators should not require weapons for protection.
The President condemned the increasing trend of book censorship, particularly those focusing on gender and sexual identity, and urged parents and educators to stand against politicians exploiting the issue for political gain.
Rebecka Peterson, a math teacher from Tulsa, was awarded the 2023 Teacher of the Year title. She highlighted the importance of empowering students and promoting unity in the teaching profession. Peterson manages a blog called “One Good Thing” to motivate her students and share the joys of education. As an immigrant, she cherishes the chance to extend the “American Dream” to future generations.
In states like Arizona, Iowa, Texas, Missouri, and Oklahoma, legislation has been proposed or passed to restrict books. In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis has supported measures that scrutinize reading content and curtail classroom conversations on gender identity and race.
A number of books which have been temporarily or permanently removed from school libraries include “Looking for Alaska,” by John Green, “Hopeless,” bh Colleen Hoover, Margaret Atwood’s contraversial novel “The Handmaid’s Tale,” and Grace Lin’s “Dim Sum for Everyone!”
Banning books and censorship in elementary school classrooms can have profound consequences on young learners. By restricting access to diverse perspectives and ideas, censorship prevents students from developing critical thinking skills and fosters a limited worldview. Furthermore, these practices may hinder conversations on important social issues, such as race, gender identity, and cultural differences. As a result, censorship in elementary school classrooms not only stifles intellectual curiosity but also undermines the foundation for an inclusive, empathetic, and well-rounded education.