What To Do About Book Banners

Maureen Johnson tells all about the two women trying to restrict access to her novel, The Bermudez Triangle, along with many other YA books they consider offensive.The two women insist they are not "censors." They merely want these books moved away from the young adult section and into the adult section where, apparently, teens won't ever be able to find them. The women appeared recently on Fox News with their tale of woe and won the outraged hearts of the Fox Newscasters who could not believe that such things as sex were being written about in books for teenagers. Apparently, teenagers will only think about sex if a novelist instruct them to. Absent that influence, they only think of algebra and Christ, I guess.Here's my question to these two women and to all those seeking to restrict access to young adult novels:Why is your opinion on what's appropriate for teens more important than mine?If you don't want your children reading certain books, pay attention to what they take home from the library. But don't make the library a substitute for parental guidance. Step up and do your job. Just, you know, do it for your child. Leave mine out of it.Personally, I'll be thrilled on the day my daughter reads The Bermudez Triangle. I will not, however, seek to enforce the reading of The Bermudez Triangle on anyone else's child. It's a choice. Books with teenage characters written for teens are shelved in the teen section because that's where teens look for books for teens. It's not a conspiracy. It's just common sense.