Only bullies ban books: Thoughts from a first-grade teacher

"Fair play. It's such a simple idea. In sports and in life it means you respect the rules and treat everyone equally." This is one of many great lessons that can be found in powerful children's books like “I am Billie Jean King” by Brad Meltzer. Themes of fairness, respect, equality are here in the pages of a book. And this hero should be celebrated not made to disappear from bookshelves.

As a first generation of Jewish Holocaust refugees, I understand the power of banning ideas and erasing parts of history.  Banning ideas is only a part of a larger campaign that seeks to marginalize a group of people.  It starts with books and ideas, then the educators themselves and on and on until there is only one way of thinking, believing, and presenting yourself in that world.  Equality is erased for uniformity.  Respect is replaced with rules that restrict some people.  Books are only the beginning of a much larger strategy.

Billie Jean King was one of my role models growing up. Yes, I am that old. I thought I'd be a great tennis player like her or Bjorn Borg. Instead, I became a teacher and I wonder if I also could have won at Wimbledon. Perhaps if there had been more examples through books, posters, and movies of strong tomboy-like women like Billie Jean King... Who knows what directions my life might have taken?When I was little people called me a tomboy too. Mostly I wore it proudly because it meant I could do the things that I loved... outdoor play, sports, rough and tumble play. Sometimes I had to wear dresses. I didn't love it, but it made my parents happy when we went out someplace fancy. My sister, also a tomboy and I could pass in their world without looks or questions. Today I like both comfort and fancy, but it took a time to feel comfortable because I was bullied a lot. Perhaps I would have weathered it better if I had seen more like Billie Jean King in the pages of books.Any questions that I brought to my parents about the things that I was reading and experienced were addressed in an age-appropriate way as they came up. Those questions created the teachable moments that made me who I am today. And they were grateful that I came to them first even if it made them feel uncomfortable. When I asked the questions, I was clearly ready for some answers. And you know children will get answers to their questions somehow.The struggles of LGBTQ+ people, women, people of color, are all with their unique concerns and I have deep respect for their struggles.  But all are seemingly fueled by ignorance and a need to have power over others. This issue of book banning is not new and really, not about books. It's about banning the ideas and making some people feel more comfortable.The right book along with inspiring mentors, role models, and teachers can perhaps change direction of someone's life.My teaching is a grand slam every day. I want my students to see that they can be anything and if they work hard enough, practice and find themselves perhaps a little lucky, they can also become something bigger than themselves.I want them to find comfort in books, see a diversity of representation that reflects them and the world around them and ask questions. Curiosity is the spice that makes teaching so wonderful.  In similar books they might see the Bobby Riggs of the world as the bullies that can change their mind. And to my more than 300-plus alumni students, I say follow your hearts, dream big and let the books like this one inspire you to be great on purpose.Because of books like this and people like Billie Jean King we have Title IX and greater equality for girls and women in sports and life. We have Serena and Venus Williams who were inspired by King, and more. This book has so many great life lessons. Banning it because it makes one petitioner uncomfortable is unacceptable. And really, I believe only bullies ban books.

Shari Gewanter is a first-grade teacher at Springwood Elementary School Tallahassee, Florida. This column is written in response to a book challenge in Leon County Schools, “I am Billie Jean King” by Brad Meltzer.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this column incorrectly identified the author of "I am Billie Jean King".

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Only bullies ban books: Thoughts from a first-grade teacher