Banned Books Week is a nationwide event launched by the American Library Association in 1982 to champion the freedom to read. This year’s event at TEA ran from October 5 –11, with the theme as, “Censorship Is So 1984: Read for Your Rights.”

Building on work that began last spring, seniors each selected a historically banned or challenged book to read over the summer, then explored the essential question: What is the impact of censoring information from children and young adults? Their inquiry included reading 1984 as a crew, analyzing censorship in music and media, and studying how altering a lyric, rating, or scene can change meaning and message.

A highlight of the project was a reading day with TEA’s 2nd and 3rd graders, where seniors shared picture books that have been banned in parts of the U.S. The younger students reflected on the lessons in the stories and discussed why some people might not want children to read them.

To close the unit, students partnered with the Truckee Library for the second year to create a community Banned Books display. Each student contributed a summary card explaining where and why their book was banned. The display was a hit, sparking curiosity and important conversations among local readers.

Hear from our seniors directly! Watch the video to hear how they reflected on what Banned Books Week means to them.