Los Angeles Times

Commentary: I’ve seen how reading banned books can enrich kids’ education

Three of the five books the Burbank Unified School District removed from in-class instruction because of the alleged harm they can cause to the district’ s Black students.

My kids and I began reading banned books together when they were just learning sight words. Snuggled with my kids on the couch, I’d read aloud from a slim paperback volume of the “Captain Underpants” series. My son, 6, and my daughter, 4, followed along by looking at the images.

We giggled through the antics of fourth graders George and Harold as they conspired against their mean school principal. I’d try to keep a straight face while reading dialogue in a character voice: “Help! Wedgie Woman is in the teacher’s lounge.

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