Why is "Of Mice and Men" still a banned book?

Question

This book was #4 for most challenged books from 2000-2005. I had to read this book in high school, and we talked about it in college. What is it about this book that's so controversial now? Steinbeck is obviously one of the best authors of the 20th century, I don't see why it should be challenged.

Answer 1

I had to read this book in highschool too. Personally, though I love to read, I didn't care for the storyline of the book, but that's not grounds for banning a book of course.
When I did a search about why it's banned this is what came up:
Banned for using offensive language, racism, violence, and being unisuited to age group
and:
Banned for using offensive language, racism, violence, and being unisuited to age group

Most sites list racial slurs and profanity as the main reasons.

Answer 2

“Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck was removed from Tennessee public schools (1984) when the School Board Chair promised to remove all “filthy books” from public school curricula and libraries. This classic was also banned from a public school in Ohio (1980).

2002
Challenged as required reading at the high school in Grandville, Michigan because the book “is full of racism, profanity, and foul language.”

2002
Banned from the George County, Mississippi because of profanity.

2003
Challenged in the Normal, Illinois Community High Schools because the book contains “racial slurs, profanity, violence, and does not represent traditional values.” An alternative, Steinbeck’s The Pearl, was offered but rejected by the family challenging the novel.

Answer 3

I read it in 1991 in high school and I had not heard it was banned. Perhaps it is because the big guy is supposed to be slow witted and everyone makes fun of him and he makes these mistakes killing the puppy and killing the girl because "he didn't know any better". which sounds bad in a way I guess. But the world isn't always neat and pretty so I don't know why one of our classic authors is banned. Is there a website where the modern cannnon is presented? You know a list of all the modern and classic books a group of scholars decided everyone who is trained in literature should read? I had a cannon list from my 2nd college professor who taught World Literature in 1994 and I'm sure some of those books are gone from the list now.