Oh, No, The Dreaded Book Ban Challenge! Oh, No, The Dreaded Book Ban Challenge! The day every librarian dreaded occurred for when the parent of a first grader checked out a nonfiction book about ghost. The parent shall be referred to as Mrs. Green, proceeded to rant and rave about why her child was allowed to check out such a book. Mrs. Green escalated to name calling, implying her child was scared, wanted the book removed to the library and with threatening to sue. Next, after calmly listening to her complaint, an explanation that there was a policy and procedure for challenging a book. An attempt was made to explain the library functions on the concept of intellectual freedom. Mrs. Green was given a copy of the district challenge/ban policy and a pamphlet on the steps for filing a challenge. Mrs. Green was made aware that even though I listened to her complaint, she needed to put the complaint in writing. “The librarian should stress that no action is taken unless a written request for reconsideration of the item is received within the amount of time specified by the school’s policy” (Adams, 2010) According to AASL (2008), “Intellectual freedom is a core value of the library profession, and Article V of the Library Bill of Rights …show more content…
My opening argument was that the parent wasn’t taking in consideration removing the book will affect others. “Some of the more volatile censorship cases have come from books when the reading and maturity level do not match up, says Pat Scales, school librarian and columnist for School Library Journal.” (Hill, 2010) Yes, according to information from the ALA website: the Office for Intellectual Freedom reports from 2000 to 2009 there were “989 challenges due to materials deemed “unsuited to age group ” C.” That would be the category Mrs. Green complaint should likely fall under. (Adams, 2010 &
The Board of Education of the Island Trees Union Free School District No. 26, including Richard Ahrens (President of the Board of Education), Frank Martin (Vice President), Christina Fasulo, Patrick Hughes, Richard Melchers, Richard Michaels, and Louis Nessim (Board Members), presented the issue of banning books from the Island Trees High School and the Island Trees Memorial Junior High School, after they attended a conference by Parents of New York United, or PONYU (Board of Education v…). The Board of Education took any book that was “anti-American, anti-Christian, anti-Semitic, and just plain filthy” to the Board of Education’s Office (Board of Education, Island…).
In the article How Banning Books Marginalizes Children, the author, Paul Ringel, states that approximately fifty-two percent of the books banned in the last ten years illustrate “diverse content”, such as race, religion, gender identity, etc. Ringel believes that attitudes about which books are “appropriate” for kids to read have too often suppressed stories about different cultures and life experiences. He basis his argument around the pretext that when libraries stop the banning it will allow kids to learn how to navigate imaginary worlds filled with differences and apply those lessons to their own lives.
Have you ever read a book and wondered “How is this book allowed in public libraries?” Most students do not pay attention to content; however, many parents disagree with the content their children are reading, whether the book is being taught in class or the child picked it up in the school library. Surprisingly, some school librarians and teachers disagree with certain books permitted in schools. The book Forever by Judy Blume is an example of a challenged and controversial book. Judy Blume is a children’s book author, which most people would not think that her books have been challenged.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, The Giver, by Lois Lowry, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Harry Potter, by J.K. Rowlings, The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hossenini, what do these books have in common? They are books on the American Library Association’s list of top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009. For various reasons, these books were found unsuitable for public audiences, and an attempt was made to ban them. From profanity to sexual content to homosexuality, groups have found reasons to challenge the books. Banning books that some people deem inappropriate from high school libraries underrates youthful intelligence, clouds history and dilutes our culture to fit a mold of conformity. Schools, even religiously affiliated ones, should focus on education and actually encouraging their students to read rather than inhibiting them from using their
Foerstel, Herbert N. Banned in the U.S.A.: a Reference Guide to Book Censorship in Schools and Public Libraries. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1994. Print.
As the American Library Association notes, books are usually banned "with the best intention…to protect others, frequently children, from difficult ideas and information." (Brunner). If a book has frightening or controversial ideas in them, adults willing often censor that book from children. From 2000 to 2009, of the 5,099 challenges that were reported, 1,639 of these challenges were in school libraries and 30 challenges in academic libraries. (Frequently Challenged Books). At various times in American history, even some of the tamest books have been banned. Harriet the Spy, was banned because it supposedly taught children to "lie, spy, back-talk, and curse." Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl was banned for being too depressing. A Light in the Attic, by Shel Silverstein, was banned because it might encourage kids to break dishes so they won't have to dry them. (Frequently Challenged Books). While some of these excuses are more reasonable than other excuses, the banning of these books prevents the children from empathizing...
Book banning is a prime target for censorship. Censorship in print media, notably book banning, occurs across homes, schools, stores, and other facilities daily. Censorship in the schools is the most widespread and exposed place for book banning. Do administrators and school boards have the right to ban books? Are we taking away the rights of children to read? In case of Island Trees Schools District V. Pico in New York, the Supreme Court gave the school board broad discretion to frame curriculum and teach civic and moral values. This case resulted in the school board removing ten books from the school library for being "anti-american, anti-christian, anti-semitic, and just plain filthy." Another case involving book banning was Hazelwood School District V. Kuhlmeier. In this case the Supreme Court again gave school officials the broad discretion to control curriculum. This time the court left open the question if this affects the school libraries. In Olathe, Kansas, the district's superintendent made the decision to remove all copies of Nancy Gardner's Annie On My Mind because of it imposing views for gay actions. This standpoint resulted in a public book burning by a homophobic community group. At Hempfield High School in Western Penn...
“It’s not just the books under fire now that worry me. It is the books that will never be written, the books that will never be read. And all due to the fear of censorship. As always, young readers will be the real losers” (Blume 1999). Judy Blume can not explain the problem of book censorship any clearer. The children are the real losers because they are the ones that are not able to read the classic works of literature which are the backbone of classroom discussions all across the United States.
Every year in the United States we have books being banned and challenged by many people who do not like the contents of books. When researching for this argument essay I found an article written by Rebecca Hagelin. Rebecca Hagelin is the author of Home Invasion: Protecting Your Family in a Culture That’s Gone Stark Raving Mad and the vice president of communications and marketing at the Heritage Foundation (Lankford).
Retrieved December 2, 2002 from Lexis-Nexis/Academic database. This article addresses some of the reasons that censors attempt to remove books from the curriculum: Many censors feel that works are not age appropriate for students. Staff, Wire Reports. (2002 October 3). Book banning spans the globe.
There are many reasons why books get challenged and/or banned. According to Robert Doyle, the main reasons for banned are sex, profanity, and racism (Doyle, 3). The most common initiator of the challenge is a parent or group of parents (Challenges by, chart 2). Challenges can also come from: patrons, board members, or organizations (Challenges by, chart 2). Challenges can also come from whole institutions; usually they come from schools (Challenges by, chart 3).
Books are not always good for kids, they often show and tell them to do things they should not do. Do you think books show defiance? Most books have back stories or they are stores that are made it. Goldilocks and the Three Bears should be banned from the library shelves because Goldilocks blatantly defines authority, teaches children that defying authority is ok, and the book inspires children to flagrantly defy authority.
Censorship in School Libraries The most debatable and controversial form of censorship today is the banning of books in school libraries. Banning books that educate students is wrong and selfish. Censorship of books in school libraries is neither uncommon nor an issue of the past. Books with artistic and cultural worth are still challenged constantly by those who want to control what others read. The roots of bigotry and illiteracy that fuel efforts to censor books and free expression are unacceptable and unconditional.
Censorship, the stifling of words, images, and ideas that are considered offensive, occurs whenever a person or group of people is able to successfully impose their views and morals onto others. Censorship, particularly book censorship, often takes place in the United States of America, and often leads into many books being unfairly challenged and banned (Book Censorship). The banning of books is most often motivated by the instinct to shield children from reading sexually inappropriate material or offensive language. However, while the incentive behind challenging and banning books is admirable, an interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights maintains that “librarians and governing bodies should maintain that parents----and only parents----- have the right and the responsibility to restrict the access of their children--- and only their children---- to library resources” (About Banned & Challenged Books). The First Amendment right is violated when anyone other than these children’s parents decides what is right for them to read. Many books are unfairly banned. An example of one type of book is The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath. The Bell Jar was banned at Warsaw Community High School, at Warsaw Indiana, due to the controversial ideas seen in the book, including: rejection of social roles and sexuality (Sova 41).
Threats to intellectual freedom have existed since the printed word. History has seen bitter censorship battles over what should and should not be published, sold, and read. The fight for intellectual freedom has been long and complex, and many agencies have been involved in the process. For example, in 1954, libraries had difficulty importing materials from behind the Iron Curtain. The post office had taken on the role of the censor and had labeled certain papers "unmailable" and refused to deliver them (Newsletter, January, 1954, 7). The Civil Rights era was also a difficult time for our country, and libraries were not exempt from its pressures. On August 11, 1962, a federal court ordered the public library in Montgomery, Alabama to desegregate its reading and browsing areas. The very next day in Albany, Georgia, "several Negro youths went into the public library, [and] the building was immediately closed 'indefinitely in the interest of public safety'" (Newsletter, October, 1962, 1). Even as late as 1962, intellectual freedom was still a dream. There was not equal access to information. The reaction of this library actually impeded the access to all users in an attempt to discriminate against the few.