School boards and teachers have a responsibility to protect the minds of their students and provide age-appropriate material. But does this responsibility cover the extreme act of banning books from classrooms? Doesn't the teacher have a duty to introduce world issues to their students in order to improve students' ability to deal with world problems? How does a school decide which books should be banned from the classroom, and how should it be left up to the teacher to decide what to decide in his or her classroom? By banning books in the classroom, we prevent our students from learning about controversial topics in a safe environment, and we also encroach on students' freedom to read what they want in school. The literature often covers controversial real-world topics such as "multiculturalism, sex role stereotypes, religious tolerance, and racism" (Blair 1998, p. 57). Even though some teachers do not want these topics to be addressed, students still face they daily. The teacher as a mentor in the students' lives should help the student learn how to adequately deal with real-world problems in a safe environment. One way to approach this topic safely is through literature issues of racism, but have been challenged or banned over the years. Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird has been banned from numerous schools because it "psychologically harms the positive integration process" and "represents institutionalized racism in the guise of good literature". of a crime, which reflects real events that occurred in American history. Ban this book...... middle of paper ...... writing the novel The teacher should always listen to the input of the parents of his students . and they should make parents feel comfortable discussing with them problems they see with their child reading a certain book. There should always be parental consent when reading a book so that the parent can discuss their opinions and issues about a book with their child. A certain book. Discussion should always be welcome within the classroom for student growth and to address any issues that may arise. By following these guidelines, teachers can prepare their students for future real-world problems they will face. L. (1996). Strategies for dealing with censorship. Art Education, 49(5, Essential Questions), pp. 57-61.Doyle, Robert. (2010). Banned books: a challenge to our freedom of reading. Cambridge: Radcliffe Publishing.