Getting Books Off the Hook: How One Stony Brook Professor Is Fighting Against Book Bans

It's no secret that book bans have been sweeping the nation,leaving many future teachers to wonder about the state of the free press and education.

Stony Brook University Professor Ileana Jiménez confronted those worries in her Department of English event, (Un)-Banning Toni Morrison (Banned Books Week 2025). The event showed a student-led documentary, with several students from Jiménez's EGL 308 class detailing their thoughts on the novel, and how they plan to confront and challenge these bans as they take steps toward their future careers as teachers.

Jiménez led the panel as various students spoke on the topic, each giving their own thoughts on the escalation of the government's repeated bans, with many students on the way to becoming English teachers themselves.

"What I envisioned was something that high school teachers and teacher educators could use for their courses both in and beyond their classrooms," Jiménez said. "For example, a teacher might be able to use this documentary as a springboard for thinking through her own ideas about teaching The Bluest Eye, especially if it's being challenged or banned at her school or district. The film features a range of pedagogies, from writing and reflection to group projects, to discussing themes such as Black girls' experiences of racism and sexism, all of which teachers want to see in action in a film like this and would support their work in their own classrooms."

The documentary was created in tandem with Stony Brook student Henna Jeong, who was responsible for filming, documenting, and editing.

"A documentary is only as strong as its content. If the people you're filming don't bring insight or honesty, the film won't have life. I was fortunate because everyone in this project brought so much thought and sincerity," Jeong said. "That made it possible to build a story that felt real, not forced - I just had to listen. In that sense, I don't see myself as the maker of the film, but as someone who listened and connected pieces together. The students gave the story its heart; I just helped it take shape. And truly, without Professor Jiménez - who created the class and guided it every step of the way - there wouldn't be a film at all. "

Both student and professor were involved at the heart of the project, each trying their best to deliver a meaningful product. Jeong was especially astounded by students' observations about book bans in class.

"The strength of this project comes from them: their words, their insights, and their courage to speak up. I'm also deeply grateful to Professor Jiménez and URECA for giving me this unbelievable opportunity to take part in something that reminded me why stories matter - and how they can move people to think, feel, and act."

The event was a great success, sparking a broader discussion about censorship in classrooms - why it happens and how future educators can shape their classrooms into environments for change, while keeping the messages of their books free of censorship.