A perfect literary world: If only censorship did not exist

I am currently reading a book called Developing Critical Awareness at the Middle Level by Johnson and Freedman. In chapter two, the book discusses the appeal of social justice in YA lit. Students are said to embrace subjects such as oppression, abuse, alientation, popularity, and other issues relevant to their lives. The book says, "middle level students know of such oppression, can connect to such situations, and can add to one another's understanding by sharing their own stories" (24). But this cannot happen if books that have this content are censored, and these are exactly the books being banned. So, yes, in a wonderful world students would embrace the content and would be able to enjoy literature and critically analyze it. But censorship takes away the drive to do so. Students are stuck with books that do not address the common issues in their lives. The Crucible, The Scarlet Letter, The Old Man in the Sea...all great literary titles...but they have no relevance to students' lives! A Separate Peace, The Perks of Being A Wallflower, The Uglies...these are titles kids would get into! The subject matter relates to them. In addition to students being more engaged, "teachers are better able to negotiate a dialogue about issues of social justice and injustice with young adolescents" (24). Teachers can connect with their students and build healthy, trustful relationships. It does not have to be teacher = dictator and student = subservient slave. It should be that teacher = student. Teachers can learn from students as well as students learn from teachers.
Students need to be given the benefit of the doubt that they have lives worth talking about. Put a novel in front of them that they cannot relate to, ask them to take a test on it, and then wonder why they don't like to read in school and develop poor reading habits outside and inside of school...this is what we continually do!
Banned books are not banned because students do not want to read them. They are banned because adults are afraid that students will all have sex if they read a book with sex in it, all do drugs with a book including drugs...students are not this ignorant. it is not the books that push kids to take up poor choices. Maybe if students were shown that although the main character in Stargirl is ostracized and made fun of so much that she relocates schools, that the main themes are acceptance and conformity/nonconformity. Students are smart enough to make these decisions on their own.

Source: Developing Critical Awareness at the Middle Level. Johnson & Freedman, IRA. 2005.