Banned books Week AT your WCHS Media center Shhhhhhh………… Don’t tell ANYONE Nicole S. Wilson - LMS

What is the difference between a challenge or Banning of a book? A banned book is one that is banned. A book that is not allowed on the shelves of libraries or in a school. This happens when people lodge a complaint about a book and the librarians or school board agree that it is inappropriate for children to read for given reasons A challenged book is one that people have unsuccessfully tried to ban

Why are books challenged? Books are usually challenged with the best intentions – to protect others, frequently children from difficult ideas and information. Often challenges are motivated by a desire to protect children from ”inappropriate” sexual content or “offensive” language. Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights states 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”. Censorship by librarians of constitutionally protected speech, whether for protection or for any other reason, violates the First Amendment.

For challenging people’s religious beliefs

For challenging people’s religious beliefs and explicit material

Offensive language: uses the “n-word”

Offensive language AND encourages children to be mischievous

Drug use… even though this book was written to show how awful using drugs will make your life.

“encourages children to break dishes to get out of washing them.”

Contains inappropriate language

Profanity, encouraged disrespect of adults, death being central to the plot, encouraged secular humanism and/or satanism and blending of fantasy and reality.

Insensitivity, encouraged disrespect towards adults and age inappropriate.

Questions God and inappropriate content dealing with the onset of puberty

Explicit content… a teeny tiny woman tanning on the beach in a bikini

Inappropriate for age group, desensitizes children to murder and encourages violence as entertainment, drug use.

Encouraged sexual promiscuity, euthanasia, belittles motherhood and family, violence, inappropriate themes, and disrespect of the elderly.

“Too scary…”

“Encourages violence…”

Teaches the theme of putting the self before the common good and encourages misbehavior. “demoralizing, in that it implies that man is little more than an animal”

For speaking against censorship and book banning/book burning.

A California school district banned the book and claimed that it “criminalized the foresting industry” and would thus persuade children against logging.

“Too depressing…”

Censorship on the rise Between the years of 1979 and 1984 (5 years), the number of reported challenges went from 300 to 1,000. Such works as: Romeo and Juliet Hamlet Judy Blume books: Then Again; Maybe I Won’t; Deenie and Blubber The Diary of Anne Frank Of Mice and Men The Catcher in the Rye Huckleberry Finn An issue of Sports Illustrated *Some copies of these particular books showed up in libraries torn to shreds.

Censorship on the rise Between the years of 1990-2000, 6,364 texts were challenged. 1,607 – sexually explicit material 1,427 – inappropriate language 842 – occult theme; promoting occult or Satanism 737 – Violent material 515 – homosexual reference 419 – religious themes

The freedom to read Different than the freedom to write. Intellectual freedom. “Banned Books Week” – 1985 American Library Association, American Booksellers Association, Association of American Publishers. Board of Education v. Pico 1982. If all books were banned, or even destroyed for their content, what information or culture would be lost for future generations? Knowledge is power.

Discussion Question…. In some cities, there is a movement to place rating on books in School and Public libraries. These ratings would be similar to the ones placed on movies and music. How are ratings on any work of art a form of censorship? How do you respond when you see that something is R rated? Does it enhance your curiosity? What is it about human nature that makes us want to read the books that a person forbids us to read? Suggest ways that a family can deal with controversial books, movies, Internet sites, and music without forbidding their use?