Books are windows to worlds. Real or imagined, familiar or unfamiliar. 

Books allow us to delve into the lives and stories of different people, acting as mirrors that reflect both the beauty and the horror of the human experience.  

In the woven stories of Sethe and her trials of motherhood in Beloved, Morrison teaches us the real and raw experiences of many escaped slaves, and how trauma is a binding and  everlasting force. 

Through Ray Bradbury’s world-building in Fahrenheit 451, we indirectly witness the dangers of censorship and lack of independent thought. 

From Holden Caufield’s unfiltered and troubled narration in The Catcher in the Rye, J.D Salinger reveals the turbulence of growing up, impact of superficiality, and loss of innocence – experiences that high school students can relate to in one way or another. 

These novels, along with many others, are vital tenants to growing as a person, teaching us the importance of empathy, strength, and individuality. Especially in our in-class discussions, we factor in our peers’ take-aways and interpretations of the novels – connecting with one another, accepting vulnerability, and actively engaging with the text. 

As high school students, the lessons we learn from the novels we read often stick with us, shaping our perspectives and encouraging  mindfulness in ways we cannot learn from a standard textbook.  

“I write and read with the assumption that literature contains knowledge of the human experience that is not available otherwise,” said Alexander Hemon, a Bosnian-American writer and critic. 

As seniors, we have come to understand how reading is a form of resistance. Through the broad literary genres and narratives  we read in high school, we gain the skills necessary to become empathetic and informed citizens that carry compassion as we step into and eventually lead the world around us. 

While sometimes uncomfortable, these subjects are uneasy for a reason, illustrating the strife, love, trauma, and lessons of people from different walks of life. 

Opening the doors to more parental control over what students read, a recent Supreme Court case (Mahmoud v. Taylor), ruled that elementary students may opt out of reading storybooks that include LGBTQ+ themes. The court sided with parents who believed the books infringed on their free exercise of religion.

While this decision certainly has national impact, the facts of the case surrounded elementary schools and their students. But the effects of the ruling are now seeping into the high schools – an audience of different maturity and readiness than elementary students. 

A new mandate for high school English courses in CUSD to include opt out language in course syllabi was announced this spring, according to sources familiar with the plan. The language would allow students the ability to opt out of reading certain works of literature through parental permission.

Within this new system, teachers might have to design separate lesson plans and exams for those opting out, and those students would not be able to participate in class discussions regarding the text.

This ability has always been an option in extenuating circumstances, but the new widespread availability of this opt out procedure to students and parents poses a dangerous risk to student development.

Many of the novels in high school speak on significant issues of humanity, including discrimination and mental health crises. Without placing oneself in the shoes of characters experiencing these issues, students will likely not absorb or grasp the struggles, hardships and challenges that people face – a crucial step in building empathy. 

“Books are what teach you about life. Books teach you empathy,” said Jojo Moyes, journalist and author, known for her novel Me Before You. 

Prior to this change in policy, many students have presented reasons to opt out of reading certain literature – whether that be due to personal matters, trauma, or triggers – and have had the ability to participate through an alternative curriculum. 

Where this becomes alarming is with the inclusion of new mandatory opt out language inside course syllabi. Superficial reasoning for opting out may be provided from students or parents not fully understanding a novel’s purpose or desiring an “easy way out” of rigorous literature. 

In these pivotal years of brain and social development, opting out of works of literature simply because they are too uncomfortable or too “difficult to swallow” will immensely hinder the building of respect and compassion that comes with reading these subjects. 

It makes you question: If we are old enough to be affected by or experience the content within the targeted novels of high school curriculums, shouldn’t we be old enough to read about it?

Because the works within our English courses cater to a breadth of topics, this new change welcomes ignorance and narrow-mindedness, encouraging the disregard of real people’s stories, cultures, tribulations, and lived experiences.  

“Books and ideas are the most effective weapons against intolerance and ignorance,” said former President Lyndon B. Johnson. 

Living and learning through discomfort is an inextricable part of life. It shapes every aspect of our lives, from small subliminal ways we interact with strangers to the way we show love in our closest relationships. Books are the blueprints that teach us about ourselves, each other,  past history and the present state of affairs of our world.

We cannot let the human and historical lessons held within books slip away, be silenced, or negated. 

Literature, especially when consumed by high school students, transports us into worlds we never expected to encounter. Worlds that amplify the voices and stories of those across the globe, allowing us to enter into the world post-graduation with a deep understanding and awareness beyond our local community. 

In another religious freedom case (Kennedy v. Bremerton), Justice Neil Gorsuch stated that the Constitution necessitates “mutual respect and tolerance, not censorship and suppression, for religious and nonreligious views alike.” He further maintained that protecting diverse religious expression is vital to a free society and that suppressing such expression to accommodate others violates the Constitution.

In an era where literature is constantly attacked, books are being banned at a growing rate, and literacy is decreasing, this new proposed opt out system threatens more than just the student who opts out. The more willful ignorance we accept, the more society regresses as a whole. 

We encourage students and parents to be open-minded in considering narratives that are unfamiliar or challenging.