Censorship in Schools today Kate Trefzger Alisha Burger

What is censorship? Censorship is the removal or restriction of certain materials by a school system or other government organization with the intent of withholding information. “The removal, suppression, or restricted circulation of literary, artistic, or educational materials—of images, ideas, and information—on the grounds that these are morally or otherwise objectionable in light of standards applied by the censor.”

Why does censorship occur? Censorship occurs in schools when materials are taken out of the curriculum for ideological, religious or other reasons that do not relate to educational relativity. It occurs when material seems inappropriate or portrays a thought or idea that is seen as questionable.

The first amendment states that school officials and community members may not remove materials from the classroom simply because of a personal objection to the ideas portrayed in the material. The school board decision to remove material from the classroom must be based on educational relevancy.

Can censorship in schools be a good thing? Many agree that censorship to a certain extent can be a good thing since there are many materials that most people would agree to be completely inappropriate for young readers or viewers but… the question is “where does censorship stop and who gets to decide?”

Although there is a process for banning books or other materials from schools, many schools find easier ways to avoid such materials. Many will simply not order the material and others will avoid the use of the materials if they are in the schools.

Examples of banned books in some school curriculums and libraries: “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck for profanity “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Mya Angelou for being “anti- white” and a rape scene “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain for use of the “n” word “Harry Potter” for witchcraft “The Witches” by Roald Dahl “Daddy’s Roommate” by Michael Willhoite “Halloween ABC” by Eve Merriam “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding “Little Red Riding Hood” by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm And many many more!

Quotes against censorship: “Fear of serious injury alone cannot justify oppression of free speech and assembly. Men feared witches and burnt women. It is the function of speech to free men from the bondage of irrational fears.” The fact is that censorship always defeats its own purpose, for it creates, in the end, the kind of society that is incapable of exercising real discretion. ~Henry Steele Commager Think for yourselves and let others enjoy the privilege to do so, too. ~Voltaire

Arguments for censorship: Many believe Hollywood to be a huge influence on teenagers and children today and to be the cause of many issues in today’s society, including violence. There have been many appeals to Hollywood to use some sort of censorship, or to "take modest steps of self-restraint" to make television, movies, and music less violent and lewd.” One example of such an appeal was Steve Allen’s “Appeal to Hollywood,” an article putting pressure on Hollywood to analyze itself. Hollywood seems to be unresponsive to appeals made by censorship supporters.

Resources: educators.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2F list.html 12educators.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2F list.html