During the week of Oct. 20–24, students had the opportunity to participate in Freedom Walk Day, an event held in celebration of Banned Books Week. Organized by librarian Heather Hornor, the day featured five different stations that taught students about censorship, free speech, and the role books play in connecting us to different perspectives.
The event, held in the library, was inspired by a program that started in San Antonio, Texas, and it gave students a hands-on way to understand why the freedom to read is so important.
Banned Books Week has been around for decades, and book banning has a long history in the United States.
“It’s not something new,” Hornor said. “It’s just one of the ways people have tried to limit access to information.”
Two of the stations involved student-led presentations by mentors and members of the Constitution team. They talked about the First Amendment and its freedoms, censorship terms, and the idea that a school district is the governing body that determines whether books can be banned.
A third station taught about the process of selecting library books in our district. Employees of Portland Public Schools library services came and talked about how teachers comply with laws and how they comply with board policies.
The fourth station was about seeing how literature is a way to look into others’ perspectives and experiences, and also how literature is a wonderful way to gain insight into others and into the world we live in.
The final station focused on the theme of involvement in this important issue about maintaining access to information. Hornor invited some guest speakers, like Rep. Robert Nossi (D-Portland), our board member, Stephanie Engelsman, and the Multnomah County Library and the League of Women Voters.
Hornor said the event, which hosted more than 300 people, helped show “how important it is to get involved at the local level, and why local activism is sometimes even more important and influential than getting involved at the state or federal level.” She added that she is hoping to host this event again next year.
“It was a cool opportunity to learn about my First Amendment rights,” sophomore Sarai Fairchild said.
