1. What do these books have in common? The Harry Potter series The Goosebump series The Gossip Girl series Of Mice and Men Captain Underpants To Kill A Mockingbird The Giver Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Go Ask Alice Junie B. Jones Halloween ABC Judy Bloom books

2. These books were all banned from classrooms at one point! The Harry Potter series The Goosebump series The Gossip Girl series Of Mice and Men Captain Underpants To Kill A Mockingbird The Giver Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Go Ask Alice Junie B. Jones Halloween ABC Why do you think some of these books were banned?

3. Books are banned for either their content or language  To Kill a Mockingbird was banned for its use of profanity and racial slurs

4.  Why do you think the author included profanity and racial slurs?  Consider the characters, the setting, and the time period

5. There are three ideas about censorship  Get rid of the book because 9th graders are not mature enough to read inappropriate words such as “nigger,” “damn it,” and “hell.”  Change the language. Alter harsh words and make them more palatable. Use African American, gosh-darnit, and heck instead of their more offensive derisions.  Still include the inappropriate language and still read the book. Allow authors to depict the world as it was, even if it was ugly and racist. If we ignore these words that make us uncomfortable, we may forget that they should never be used.

6. Which do you believe is the best option?  Choose one and journal on it: explain why you chose it. Why would this be the best option? R-75 words H-100  Get rid of the book because 9th graders are not mature enough to read inappropriate words such as “nigger,” “damn it,” and “hell.”  Change the language. Alter harsh words and make them more palatable. Use African American, gosh-darnit, and heck instead of their more offensive derisions.  Still include the inappropriate language and still read the book. Allow authors to depict the world as it was, even if it was ugly and racist. If we ignore these words that make us uncomfortable, we may forget that they should never be used.