In class we are reading The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. It is about a Greaser named Ponyboy. The Greasers and the Socs don't get along because the Socs are rich and the Greasers are poor. Society thinks Socs are good kids but in reality, they always antagonize the Greasers and beat them up.

        I don't think this book should be banned in schools or libraries. When people say it talk about drugs they're talking about cigarettes. Ponyboy doesn't like cigarettes and he doesn't tell kids to smoke them. If kids don't learn about dysfunctional families in school, where are they going to learn about it? They need to know about it. People say that it has "strong language" but if they actually read the book, it says three cuss words. Even though alcohol abuse is common, the main character tells us that he hates alcohol and he doesn't promote it.

       Kids will need to know about the real world and The Outsiders is a good way to teach them about it.