Lynchburg expert discusses the first amendment debate over banned books – WFXRtv.com

(WFXR) Debates over what are appropriate reading materials are nothing new, according to the chair of political science and international relations at the University of Lynchburg, Professor David Richards.

Its something that historically has been going on since books have existed, he said.

Richards says the Supreme Court allows the banning of books in public institutions for two reasons: If the book incites violence against people or the government, or if the book contains obscene material harmful to the community.

Thats basically all they said. So what is obscene? What is community standard? Thats up for debate, said Richards.

Current concerns are that books are being banned due to political beliefs, not legal justifications.

Richards adds that even books with foul language or sexually explicit content are defended by the courts if they have artistic merit or are considered to be widely accepted.

A lot of times those books are books used in literature courses, Richards noted. The bar can be a little different there because students are being made to read these books that they find objectionable.

In Roanoke, people like Evelyn Bumbalough weighed in.

Teachers are the ones that are in the classroom with the students, they have the educational background to decide, she said.

Nathaniel Myers says it should be up to the government, but it should be used lightly.

It should be up to the state to produce a curriculum that is going to be knowledgeable and prepare people for the future and isnt concerned about offending people, he said.

PEN America is an organization that supports literary freedom, and said 2021 was the highest year for banned books on record. In addition to more than 300 banned books last year featuring LGBTQ+ content, more than 400 books have protagonists of color, organizers said. Biographies of Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., and Cesar Chavez are also included.

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Lynchburg expert discusses the first amendment debate over banned books - WFXRtv.com