Is The Golden Compass pointed in the wrong direction?

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Recommended: The controversy of censorship

Every single day books are challenged and banned by schools and parent organizations. These organizations and schools are taking away children’s intellectual freedom. The American Library Association defines intellectual freedom as “the right of every individual to both seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction” (Ross, Caplan 1). When schools restrict their student’s intellectual freedom that is censorship, ALA defines censorship as “the suppression of ideas and information that certain persons, individuals, groups or government officials find objectionable or dangerous” (1). Books are banned for a variety of reasons such as sexual themes, profanity, violence or anti-religious themes. In one case a librarian in Ortega Middle School challenged the book because she believed it was innapropiate for children (“Censorship Watch” 1). The Golden Compass has been challenged because the author is an atheist and many some religions believe it has anti-religious themes (Taylor 1). Anti-religious content and an author’s religious preference are not justifiable reas...

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