Book Bans: A Hindrance to Reading Ability Growth

For many years, educators and analysts have been raising the alarm about a reading crisis in American grade schools. Test scores have steadily fallen, while teachers are left wringing their hands helplessly. This concern is particularly acute for black children, who may be at risk of falling even further behind if this issue goes unchecked. 
 
Now, college professors are joining the chorus of concerned voices. They report that incoming students struggle to read more than a few pages at once and often fail to understand or interpret what they've read correctly. 
 
The problem isn't limited to primary education alone; it's seeping into higher learning as well. Humanities professor Adam Kotsko voiced his concerns in an essay published on Slate: "What we almost all seem to agree on is that we are facing new obstacles in structuring and delivering our courses, requiring us to ratchet down expectations in the face of a ratcheting down of preparation." 
 
While COVID-19 learning loss, social media addiction, and attention-draining cell phone scrolling all contribute significantly to this worrying trend, another disturbing factor has come under scrutiny: state officials and school authorities removing diverse books from libraries' shelves and limiting lessons on black history. 
 
Allison Rose Socol from the Education Trust believes this is a preventable problem. Research shows that when students see themselves reflected in the literature they're studying, they develop not just an interest in but also a love for reading. However, she adds with frustration how culturally rich texts aren't readily available across many schools—something disproportionately affecting basic reading skills among students of color. 
 
Data supports these claims too—the National Assessment of Educational Progress reveals average literary scores decreased at both fourth-grade levels compared to 2019 levels—an alarming development indeed! 
 
And such trends don’t affect every student equally—they hit marginalized groups hardest! Just 17 percent of black students were found proficient readers by the fourth grade—a distressingly low figure that raises serious questions about educational equality across America’s schooling system. 
 
Despite clear evidence supporting the use of diverse texts, some states and districts are implementing policies that limit teachers from using books reflecting the country's diversity or teaching honest history. Socol sees those books as essential tools for fostering critical thinking skills and nurturing engaged citizens. 
 
Humanities Professor Kotsko shares similar sentiments. He believes these book bans harm students' ability to read long texts critically and independently—a skill fundamental to higher learning. "Motivated by bigotry, it has already done demonstrable harm," he laments. 
 
However, not all is lost—Kotsko suggests a straightforward remedy: replacing those who advance such harmful policies with ones committed to reversing them. This shift is already happening in several places, offering hope that every banned book will eventually be restored—a crucial step towards resolving America’s grade-school reading crisis.