Book bans are increasing, mainly targeting public libraries. However, AAPS has not been affected as of yet. “We haven’t had book challenges since I have worked here for seven years,” says Skyline Librarian Lindsey Szurek. “The bans happening across the country have made us more vigilant about banned books, making sure they’re available to our students…we want to support students to read whatever they want.”

Book bans are a form of censorship established by organizations in charge of libraries. Many books are banned because of content that is considered inappropriate. Skyline’s librarians are against these bans because they want the students at Skyline to get access to as many books as possible. 

Many of Skyline’s librarians and teachers think banning books hurts students and students need to be able to read these books so they can recognize they aren’t alone when hearing a story about gender, sexual identity, sexual assault, etc. 

“I think book bans are a tool of the oppressor,” says Skyline English Teacher Shelby Eaton. Banning books “is something that people do to take control over education and what information people get to access. I believe that book bans are wrong, especially at schools where we’re supposed to learn and hear from each other.” 

Students at our school also have strong opinions about these bans. “I think [book bans] are harmful because they stop material from being spread,” says Alexandra McGettigan (’26). “If the author wrote the book, they wanted to spread topics or the book, and banning them limits that.”

Skyline’s Library has created a shelf dedicated to the top 13 most challenged books of 2022. These books include topics about gender, sexuality, race, and abuse. Skyline’s librarians encourage students to check out these challenged books in hopes of showing that reading these books is not harmful. Putting these books in the library also gives a greater chance of discussion of these taboo topics. 

Skyline Librarians follow the American Library Association (ALA) guidelines and the AAPS Material Collection Development Procedures for developing new rules and regulations at Skyline about adding books to the Skyline Library. 

“AAPS’s district library department is prepared for book challenges,” said Skyline Librarian Carolyn Hill. “We have a solid collection development policy, and we have a system in place for what to do when a book is going through the process of banning where it has happened to other schools.”