Poll Shows Americans Are United Against Book Bans
Over the last two years, book bans and challenges have been at an all-time high, and these attempts at censorship show no sign of slowing down anytime soon
What once might have been a matter between parents and librarians over one or two books has evolved into thousands of individual titles targeted and hundreds of books being banned or restricted, with powerful local, state, and national groups specifically attacking books written by or about LGBTQ+ individuals and people of color.
Despite the growing escalation of book bans in the United States, there’s encouraging news from the EveryLibrary Institute. Its latest poll shows 75% of Americans oppose book bans. The nationwide poll conducted by Embold Research, a nonpartisan research firm, surveyed 1,123 registered voters from August 21 to September 3rd and had a margin of error of 3.4%.
The data leads to some important takeaways for when it comes to talking about book banning.
A Not-So-Partisan Issue
The positive news for librarians and proponents of free speech is that the poll shows that book bans are an important issue to voters, who appear to want to make their own choices about what they and their children read. The survey shows that most voters oppose banning books on the grounds of race, sexuality, and other concerns. Voters also oppose legislation that bans books, a clear violation of the First Amendment.
Despite what headlines might lead you to believe, the poll found that the issue of book banning transcends politics, with 95% of Democrats, 80% of Independents, and 53% of Republicans opposing book bans. And 31% of Republicans believe that there is absolutely no time when a book should be banned.
In fact, it’s a clear minority that supports book bans, with just 8% of those polled believing that there are many books that are inappropriate and should be banned.
Even more encouraging? 3 in 4 individuals polled said that preventing book banning is an important voting issue. It’s especially true amongst college-educated women, Democrats, and those who frequently go to a library; but preventing book banning is also considered very important by 1 in 5 Republicans and 42% of Independents.
Censored Classics
While the majority of Americans are against book banning, when it comes to classic novels and children’s books, voters are nearly unanimous in their opposition.
The poll found that a whopping 93% of voters oppose banning classic works like Of Mice and Men and To Kill a Mockingbird — both of which have been banned because of their depictions of violence and race — while 91% oppose banning children’s books, which have come under fire for some bizarre reasons. For example,The Lorax was banned in one district because a school board member was a logger, while in another, Walter the Farting Dog was banned for having the word “farting” in its title.
But even when books are challenged over hot button issues like race or sexuality, the poll found voters still overwhelmingly support freedom of speech. 72% oppose efforts to ban books that focus on race and slavery, while 59% oppose banning those books that focus on sexuality.
For library advocates, these numbers paint a clear picture that most voters believe children shouldn’t have their education dictated by the whims of politicians or extreme activists, and while parents have the right to decide what their own children can and cannot read, no parent has the right to make that decision for all other parents.
Supporting Librarians
As if book bans themselves weren’t bad enough, schools and librarians themselves are also coming under fire, from state representatives calling into question the personal and professional integrity of librarians, laws that would hold librarians liable for sharing alleged “harmful material,” to even a group in Utah that filed a police report against a school district over books.
American voters have a high regard for libraries and librarians, and the idea of charging library employees is something voters regardless of political background are worried about. In fact, according to the poll, voters love librarians and rank librarians twice as favorable as their governors, the Democratic Party, the GOP, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden.
The poll also showed only 3% of respondents who claimed they can’t find a reason to support libraries. Meanwhile 50% said they view libraries as institutions that provide important resources and educational tools for those who can’t afford them, while 40% say libraries offer important programs and support services in addition to books.
How To Get Your Message Out
As the 2022 midterm elections highlighted, groups supporting book bans and other forms of censorship are wasting no time in enacting their agenda. All books that discuss the topic of gender fluidity were banned in libraries in the Keller Independent School District just outside of Dallas. And in Berkeley County School District in South Carolina, within hours of being elected, the new school board fired the superintendent, banned curriculum, and set up a committee to decide which books would be removed from schools.
In both examples, the bans were enacted by a small group of elected school board members, backed by conservative action committees. But these views are in the minority, and politicians' attempts to enact bans are one of the most concerning issues to voters.
The poll found that 50% of voters are concerned about states introducing legislation to ban books or the teaching of certain topics, and 43% are concerned about politicians attempting to block more diverse and representational reading material.
See all the findings from the poll and download the EveryLibrary Institute report on Voter Perceptions of Book Bans and Censorship.
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