It’s Banned Book Week and those in our community are shedding light on the power of reading.

Across the country, there have been conversations about what material from books should be taught in schools and sold on shelves.

Recently in Iron River, Wisconsin there has been a push to ban a few books from the public library.

Store manager of the Bookstore at Fitger’s Jennifer Jubenville say the reason that books get banned is usually because a group of people or an individual opposes the values and morals of the book.

She says that though others concerns are valid, censorship can do more harm than good.

Associate professor of English at UMD Burke Scarbrough says that teachers often collaborate with administration and colleague’s to figure out what is best for student success.

The aim of Banned Book Week is to highlight the importance of reading, says Jubenville.

She says that banned books often have important messages that need to be heard. Some books that the Bookstore at Fitger’s are selling includes works from George Orwell and Maya Angelou. Also copies of books like, Lord of the Flies and Freddie Mercury’s: Somebody to Love book.

Scarbrough says that conversations with teachers should be the first step if you are a parent who’s concerned with the material being taught in schools.