As censorship rises across American media and education, Dr. James Kendrick, the interim department chair of journalism and professor of film and digital media, warns that power and algorithms are shaping what ideas reach the public. From classrooms to social media feeds, he said the suppression of controversial topics limits critical thinking and open dialogue.

There is ongoing debate about the constitutionality of banning books from local libraries or institutions. While some argue that book banning infringes on freedom of speech, others hold that certain content should be limited to certain contexts.

The top priority is understanding that it takes courage to speak up in a government-created society of censorship. Cancel culture is not doing anyone favors. Stand firm in your opinion and be loud in your delivery, and as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

A library is a hub filled with diverse voices, writing styles and stories. Through exploring all the options, children learn how to make sense of the world, its inhabitants and, most importantly, themselves.

There is a 100% chance that you will have an opinion one day that will upset, offend and otherwise provoke your peers. So what?