From the First Amendment to Censorship

Read the Article: “WHAT JOHNNY CAN'T READ Censorship in American Libraries”

The Article: What are the pros and cons of banning books? How does it limit our First Amendment rights? Why do parents challenge books? How could parental concerns be addressed without having books removed from all students? What are the pros and cons of books with controversial topics? How can the age appropriateness of a book be determined?

Think about some of the “inappropriate materials” you’ve read. Why do you like them? What makes them valuable to the public? What would people NOT be getting if those books were not allowed? How could the books harm others?

An Idea… ALA's Library Bill of Rights: 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. Parents who do not want their children to have access to certain library services, materials, or facilities should so advise their children. Librarians and library governing bodies cannot assume the role of parents or the functions of parental authority in the private relationship between parent and child.

Investigate –censorship of your book in the past. –places in your book that might be questionable or cause for censorship using note cards –topics of interest or concern in your book WWII The Great Depression The Dust Bowl Racial Injustice Drug Abuse

Design A visual product that will make your opinion of the book and the cause of its censorship apparent. Some examples: A commercial A tri-board A power-point A poster A brochure

Plan –Your reading schedule –The design for your visual –Your research method –An oral presentation revolving around your visual

Create –A process journal that will include your plan, note cards, your process for your design cycle, and any other part of your project that is not included in the visual, all stapled together in the upper right hand corner. –A rating system that evaluates your novel on at least 4 different criteria that can also be used for other books; this must be displayed on your visual –A visual of your choice to present all of your information

Evaluate –Your novel –Your overall project