Should schools and libraries restrict books?

Both brothers have opposed book bans since 2007, with Hank calling one banned novel required reading in 2009. Since 2016 John has said teachers and librarians, the trained professionals, should decide which books schools and libraries hold, and repeated it in 2025.

Axis: no, readers decide ... yes, restrict for young readers

Positions by date: 9 records in 9 videos. The position did not change in these records.

John

date	how	position	video
2007-05-02	first on record	John holds that novels should not be removed from high school libraries because they have gay characters, and that bans also keep books from being bought.	Brotherhood 2.0: May 2: Book Banning 00:01:38
2008-01-30	restate	John argues a few parents should not decide what other parents' children read; each family may opt in or out, and would-be book banners anger him.	I Am Not A Pornographer 00:03:06
2012-06-05	restate	John calls the banning of Looking for Alaska in several Tennessee high schools bad; it used to anger him, now it saddens him.	The Dangling Rope of Terror: It's Question Tuesday 00:00:40
2016-04-12	restate	John says it should not be up to him whether any book is in a school or library: he is not a teacher or librarian, the highly trained, criminally underpaid professionals employed to decide.	On the Banning of Looking for Alaska 00:02:09
2022-05-03	restate	To John, that call does not mean deciding on someone else's behalf what books they may read, nor hiding the realities of the human condition from high school students.	My Religion and My Banned Books 00:02:57
2024-12-17	restate	John believes teachers and librarians should be allowed to teach and curate information because they are the experts in those jobs; it is not up to him.	About THAT Scene in Looking for Alaska 00:03:53
2025-12-16	restate	Though honoured to share a list with Beloved, The Color Purple and The Handmaid's Tale, John wishes people would let librarians and teachers do the jobs they trained to do.	John Green's Brother 00:01:27

Hank

date	how	position	video
2007-05-03	first on record	Hank calls the banning of Maureen Johnson's book not cool. · also in: May 3rd Extended Edition	May 3rd: Yetis, TMBG, Weeds and MoJo 00:01:53
2007-05-03	restate	Hank calls the banning of Maureen Johnson's book not cool.	May 3rd Extended Edition 00:01:53
2009-04-28	restate	Hank can't believe people wanted to ban The Bermudez Triangle and says it should be required high-school reading.	10 Book Reviews in 4 Minutes 00:02:13

Background

date	how	position	video
2007-05-08	background	John treats removing a book from the shelf as banning, mocking the school's claim otherwise. (playful)	Brotherhood 2.0: May 8th: House Hunters 00:01:12