Parental Censorship

I’ve always thought that censorship concerning children is not always so cut and dry. Gratuitous sex and violence has routinely been the benchmark term for child censorship. In conversations with friends this seems to be the recurring theme and honestly, I don’t disagree. Concerning sex and violence, two of the more primal actions of the human condition, it takes a mature, and more socialized mind to be able to put these things into context. However, above all, I believe it is the parent’s discretion to choose what he or she shows their child and this goes beyond the standard just stated. This leads me to the essay we read concerning the Harry Potter books in public school libraries. What I found troubling the most about the events depicted in this essay were the sweeping changes that occurred because of the opinions of a few parents. A whole series of books being pulled from the shelf is drastic measure to take because of a few fears on Paganism. Many of these parents also seem to have very little faith in their own abilities as parents. I would assume, judging from their complaints about the book series, that many of these parents are regular church going individuals who have tried to teach their children many of the basics of their faith. Yet it seems their great fear is that a fantasy novel will break these teachings and turn them towards less notable ones.
What also surprised me was how these school boards whole heartedly decided to take the reins from the parents they serve. I find it very troubling when public officials make sweeping changes based on the complaints of a few. In this case it seemed almost as if the school officials were given an opportunity to green light a decision based not on the welfare of their schools but on their own personal values. The troubling statement from one of the board members ["if the…books promoted Christianity' he would not object to diem." (DeMitchell, Carney)] painfully exhibits this point.
In general I wish parents would trust their own judgment and not attempt preemptive strikes on wide reaching social institutions like a school system.