Purity Tests Harm Kids' Reading

When institutions and parents judge children's books by the author's alleged personal misconduct, entire back catalogues can be withdrawn, removing books that many children — notably boys — prefer and rely on to learn to read. That narrowing of available, appealing material risks worsening literacy gaps and shifts cultural transmission from stories to adult politics. — This reframes cancel‑culture debates as an education and child‑welfare issue because content removal has measurable effects on who reads and what moral lessons children encounter.