Places I Never Meant to Be Quotes

“In this age of censorship, I mourn the loss of books that will never be written, I mourn the voices that will be silenced-writers' voices, teachers' voices, students' voices-and all because of fear.”
― Judy Blume, Places I Never Meant to Be: Original Stories by Censored Writers

“Book banning satisfied their need to feel in control of their children's lives. Those who censored were easily frightened. They were afraid of exposing their children to ideas different from their own. Afraid to answer children's questions or talk with them about sensitive subjects.”
― Judy Blume, Places I Never Meant to Be: Original Stories by Censored Writers

“A child's parents should be able to forbid their son or daughter from reading a book of mine or anyone else's. However, those same parents should have zero control over what everyone else's kids can read.”
― Paul Zindel, Places I Never Meant to Be: Original Stories by Censored Writers

“In this age of censorship I mourn the loss of books that will never be written, I mourn the voices that will be silenced--writers' voices, teachers' voices, students' voices--all because of fear. How many have resorted to self-censorship? How many are saying to themselves, "Nope ... can't write about that. Can't teach that book. Can't have that book in our collection. Can't let my student write that editorial in the school paper.”
― Judy Blume, Places I Never Meant to Be: Original Stories by Censored Writers

“What I worry about most is the loss to young people. If no one speaks out for them, if they don't speak out for themselves, all they'll get for required reading will be the most bland books available. And instead of finding the information they need at the library, instead of finding the novels that illuminate life, they will find only those materials to which nobody could possibly object.”
― Judy Blume, Places I Never Meant to Be: Original Stories by Censored Writers

“Those of us who oppose censorship believe that reading about something is a safe way to explore and understand it, and that it is the best way to prepare young people to deal with the issues they will face, both in school and later in life. It's true that some material is "offensive"--but to know how to respond to it, we need to understand it.”
― Joan Bertin, Places I Never Meant to Be: Original Stories by Censored Writers

“Books are our windows on the world. They permit us to safely experience other lives and ways of thinking and feeling. Books give us a glimmer of the complexity and wonder of life. All this, the censor would deny us.”
― Harry Mazer, Places I Never Meant to Be: Original Stories by Censored Writers

“Self-censorship can be very damaging to a story. When our chief goal is not to offend someone, we are not likely to write a book that will deeply affect someone.”
― Katherine Paterson, Places I Never Meant to Be: Original Stories by Censored Writers

“So many adults are exhausting themselves worrying about other people corrupting their children with books, they're turning kids off to reading instead of turning them on.”
― Judy Blume, Places I Never Meant to Be: Original Stories by Censored Writers

“That's all we writers have, anyway; our minds and imaginations. To allow censors even the tiniest space in there with us can only lead to dullness, imitation, and mediocrity.”
― Norma Fox Mazer, Places I Never Meant to Be: Original Stories by Censored Writers

“Perhaps nothing is so wounding to a writer than being accused of having written something that hurts a child. Censorship is an attitude of mistrust and suspicion that seeks to deprive the human experience of mystery and complexity. But without mystery and complexity there is no wonder; there is no awe; there is no laughter.”
― Julius Lester, Places I Never Meant to Be: Original Stories by Censored Writers

“Parents and other who complain often do so out of deep beliefs or convictions, and often in an effort to "protect" young people from influences they believe are harmful. Of course, no one wants to subject students to harmful influences. But given the wide range of opinion, if everyone had the right to veto what he or she didn't like, nothing much would be left.”
― Joan Bertin, Places I Never Meant to Be: Original Stories by Censored Writers

“Some of the choices teenagers make are morally and practically wrong. Some of my characters do things I hope my child won't. There are occasionally words my characters choose that I wouldn't utter in my mother's presence. But when I was sixteen, or twelve, hanging out with my friends? That was different. For a story to feel real, I have to respect what a character would really do or say.”
― Rachel Vail, Places I Never Meant to Be: Original Stories by Censored Writers

“I struggle each day not to let the fear of the censor poison my writing. Where the censor rules, a dull sameness creeps into books.”
― Harry Mazer, Places I Never Meant to Be: Original Stories by Censored Writers