Among the evils perpetrated by the German Nazi Regime was burning books that Adolf Hitler’s government and followers considered an “un-German spirit.”

Sadly, this misguided belief is embraced by too many Americans who have fought successfully to ban books from public school because they consider the material objectionable.

Many parents apparently fear that their children will be exposed to and indoctrinated about critical race theory and sexual orientation in school.    

Several states have passed laws forbidding critical race instruction.

And scores of parents across the nation have been openly critical at school board meetings about what they claim is wrong minded school curricula that includes readings about race and sexual orientation—especially the LGBTQ+ community.

I believe it is up to parents to decide what materials they want their children to read.  Banning books without consulting either teachers or parents is censorship.  The best solution is for a group such as Parent Teacher Association (PTA) to meet, discuss and decide. 

Dr. Condoleezza Rice, director of the conservative Hoover Institution at Stanford argued this week at the Hoover Education Summit

for just such greater school collaboration between parents and teachers.

Then if some parents don’t like the results, they are free to deny their children access to the readings or even transfer to other schools.  But for those who do find value in the material, it should be readily available.