Censorship in YAL:What the ****

Are You Reading?!

Mindy M. Wara & Leah Schutte

The Difference Between Challenged and Banned Books

• A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. Due to the commitment of librarians, teachers, parents, students and other concerned citizens, most challenges are unsuccessful and most materials are retained in the school curriculum or library collection.

• A banning is the removal of those materials.

http://www.gltech.org/library/AboutBannedChallengedBooks.htm

Challenging Books

Frequently Challenged Books• To Kill a Mockingbird• The Adventures of Huckleberry Fin• The Great Gatsby• Of Mice and Men• Harry Potter• Lord of the Rings• Twilight • Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl• The Catcher and the Rye• The Grapes of Wrath• The Lord of the Flies• Animal Farm

http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/bannedbooksweek/ideasandresources/free_downloads/2010banned.pdf

Challenged Books: The Hunger Games

• October 2010: A parent, who has not read The Hunger Games, wants the book banned from her 11 year old daughter’s school in New Hampshire because the book gave her child violent nightmares. The student is now pulled from class, but the book is still being taught.– This parent does not see Panem as the villain, but suggests that the

school promotes this fictitious reality show violence. Were she to read the book, perhaps her views would change were she to understand the negative effect the games have on the citizens.

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/slj/newslettersnewsletterbucketextrahelping/887280-443/new_hampshire_parent_challenges_the.html.csp

How Often Are Books Challenged?

Why Challenge a Book?

Who Challenges Books?

http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/challengesbytype/index.cfm

PABBIS

• Parents Against Bad Books In Schools

ALA Terms and Definitions• Expression of Concern – An inquiry that has judgmental overtones.

• Oral Complaint – An oral challenge to the presence and/or appropriateness of the material in question.

• Written Complaint – A formal, written complaint filed with the institution (library, school, etc.), challenging the presence and/or appropriateness of specific material.

• Public Attack – A publicly disseminated statement challenging the value of the material, presented to the media and/or others outside the institutional organization in order to gain in public support for further action.

• Censorship – A change in the access status of material, based on the content or the work and made by a governing authority of its representatives. Such changes include exclusion, restriction, removal, or age/grade level changes.

http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/aboutbannedbooks/termsanddefinitions/index.cfm

What Do Other Teachers Think?

• Jenny Henselin – English/Theatre Teacher for 7 years, Oshkosh North High School (Mindy’s CT )☺– Certain novels are required at each grade level, but

more modern novels are creeping in.– Books should be options, not necessarily required. I

don’t require students to read a book if their parents or he/she doesn’t feel comfortable reading it.

– All books have value and the reader should choolse what to take from the book. Exposure is good for people.

– Banning a book makes it more appealing.

What Do Students Think about Literary Censorship?

Censorship Student Survey Results

Censorship Student Survey Results

Censorship Student Survey Results

Which banned/challenged books have you read (in class or on your own)?

The most common titles students listed:– Of Mice and Men– The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian– The Hunger Games– The Great Gatsby– Twilight– Harry Potter– To Kill a Mockingbird

Censorship Student Survey Results

Should certain books be banned? Why or why not?– 27/28 students do not believe books should be

banned.• The one student who believes certain books should be

banned gave two reasons:– Too much profanity– If the book mocks religion

Censorship Student Survey Results

The most common reasons the 27 students who are against banning books gave the following:– Freedom of speech/censorship is wrong– Banning disrespects the author and stifles future authors’ creativity– It should be up to individual readers what they read

• Give the reader a different point of view and understanding of the world and lives of others

• More books to choose from means more people reading• Readers can connect to different books in different ways• Reading something “bad” will not make the reader “bad”

– Books are entertainment like movies and we don’t ban movies– Even banned books can teach lessons– Books in general promote critical thinking and creativity for the reader

Censorship Student Survey Results

Censorship Student Survey Results

List some books you think should be banned/challenged.

• Only two books were listed:– Twilight– Is Beer Served in Hell

Censorship Student Survey Results

– Twilight– Dear John– The Notebook– To Kill a Mockingbird– The Bible– Crucible– The Hunger Games

– Of Mice and Men– 39 Clues– The Great Gatsby– Harry Potter– Lord of the Rings– The Color Purple

List some books you think should not be banned.

Remember: Banned Book Week is September 24 – October 1, 2011“Banned Books Week (BBW) is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment… Imagine how many more books might be challenged—and possibly banned or restricted—if librarians, teachers, and booksellers across the country did not use Banned Books Week each year to teach the importance of our First Amendment rights and the power of literature, and to draw attention to the danger that exists when restraints are imposed on the availability of information in a free society.”

http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/bannedbooksweek/index.cfm

The Great Debate

Harry Potter:Hero or Brain Rotter??

Major Issues• Witchcraft• Violence• Religion