RECENT CENSORSHIP:

Much current censorship reflects previous censorship
but in more narrow field

Less concern with  printed texts for adults
strong concern with materials that may be seen by "children"
(never refered to as minors / juveniles / young adults)
concern for art in general, not just books
strong concern over Internet / Electronic media (treated separately in next class)

numerous controversies
strong opinions
organized groups
different communities / different ideas
no obvious solutions
even less hope of finding a general solution
 

REACTION TO LIBERALIZATION:

Action / reaction; two steps forward, one step back;
what goes up, must come down
(at least part of the way down)
 

BOOK CENSORSHIP
 

TEXTBOOK WARS

Kanawha County, West Virginia, 1974-5:
Picketing of schools, mines, bus companies, industry;
Minister imprisoned for conspiring to blow up elementary schools;
shots fired at police cars escorting school bus:
result: self-censorship by textbook publishers
 

BOOKS MOST FREQUENTLY CHALLENGED IN 2000

1. Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling, for occult/Satanism
and anti-family themes.
(Not on 1998 list; straight to top of 1999 list)
Harry Potter series: (no sex, swearing, etc.):
Harry banned? - Publishers Weekly
http://www.publishersweekly.com/articles/19991004_81324.asp
The trouble with Harry
http://www.fotf.org/cforum/citizenmag/coverstory/a0009406.html

2. The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier, published in 1974,
 written for teens, a fictionalized account of
a boy’s trials and triumphs at boarding school;
often challenged for violence, offensive language,
sexually explicit, unsuited to age group.
(the “Most Challenged” fiction book of 1998)
(No. 4 on 1990-1999 list)

3. Alice series, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, for sexual content
and being unsuited to age group.

4. Killing Mr. Griffin, by Lois Duncan, for violence and sexual
content. (No. 64 on 1990-1999 list)

5. Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, for using offensive
language, racism, violence and being unsuited to age
group. (Constantly challenged work by a Nobel prize winner).
(No. 6 on 1990-1999 list)

6. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou, for
being too explicit in the book’s autobiographical portrayal
of rape and other sexual abuse.
(No. 3 on 1990-1999 list)

7. Fallen Angels, by Walter Dean Myers, for offensive
language, racism, violence and being unsuited to age group.

8. Scary Stories series, by Alvin Schwartz, for violence, being
unsuited to age group and occult themes.
(No. 1 on list of most challenged books, 1990-1999)

9. The Terrorist, by Caroline Cooney, for violence, being
unsuited to age group and occult themes.

10. The Giver, by Lois Lowry, for being sexually explicit, occult
themes and violence.
 

BOOKS CHALLENGED IN 1999:

4 in 1999: Blubber, by Judy Blume, for offensive language and unsuited
to age group. Judy Blume has sold a total of fifty million copies
in 14 languages.

8 in 1999. The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood,
for its sexual content.

9 in 1999. The Color Purple, by Alice Walker,
for sexual content and offensive language.

10 in 1999. Snow Falling on Cedars, by David Guterson,
for sexual content and offensive language.
 

MOST FREQUENTLY CHALLENGED BOOKS OF 1990-1999:

2. Daddy’s Roommate by Michael Willhoite

5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
(No. 83. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer)

9. Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman

10. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

13. It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris

15. Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
challenged in schools and libraries across the country for being
“too frightening for young people” and depicting “occult or satanic” themes.

18. Sex by Madonna

21. In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak

24.The New Joy of Gay Sex by Charles Silverstein

25. Go Ask Alice by Anonymous

35. What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Girls:
A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters
by Lynda Madaras

53. American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

54. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

62. Crazy Lady by Jane Conly
 “offensive language.” "As he attempts to come to terms with his mother's death,
Vernon finds solace in his growing relationship with the neighborhood outcasts,
an alcoholic and her retarded son"

67. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

68. Lord of the Flies by William Golding

70. Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women’s Fantasies by Nancy Friday

73. The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende

79. Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle

85. Always Running by Luis Rodriguez
depiction of gang life, for being “sexually explicit,”
“violent,” “racist,” and “unsuitable for teens.”

86. Private Parts by Howard Stern

87. Where’s Waldo? by Martin Hanford

90. Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman
 

MOST BOOKS ON MOST CHALLENGED LIST, 1990-1999

JUDY BLUME: 5

7. Forever by Judy Blume

30. Blubber by Judy Blume
"Girl torments classmate, then finds out what its like to be a target".
Banned in an Alabama high school because it includes "damn" twice and "bitch" once.

42. Deenie by Judy Blume

60. Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume

89. Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume

Judy Blume has sold a total of fifty million copies in 14 languages.
Transcript of CNN chat with Judy Blume:
http://cnn.com/chat/transcripts/blume.html
 

STEPHEN KING: 4

49. Cujo by Stephen King

81. Carrie by Stephen King

82. The Dead Zone by Stephen King

95. Christine by Stephen King
 

Does anybody have any comments on these books?
 

The Most Frequently Challenged Books (of 2000)
http://www.ala.org/bbooks/challeng.html#mfcb

The 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990–1999:
http://www.ala.org/alaorg/oif/top100bannedbooks.html
Press release: 100 most frequently challenged books of decade
http://www.ala.org/news/v5n24/100.html
 
 

MOST FREQUENTLY BANNED BOOKS IN THE 1990s:
Foerstel, Banned in the USA, 1994.

Fifty titles:  By date:

2 items published in the 1990s (Daddy's roommate)
16: 1980s (Heather has two mommies; Stephen King: Christine; also his Cujo; "I object to any book written by Stephen King as he writes horror fiction, which has no value": parent who had "Cujo" removed from Oregon high school; New teenage body book; The color purple)
18: 1970s (Curses, hexes and spells; Gabriel Garcia Marquez: Hundred years of solitude)
6: 1960s (Kurt Vonnegut: Slaughterhouse-five)
3: 1950s (J. D. Salinger: Catcher in the rye; William Golding: Lord of the flies)
2: 1930s (Steinbeck: Grapes of wrath)
3: nineteenth century (Mark Twain: Huckleberry Finn, Tom Sawyer)
 
 

Also note:

Diary of Anne Frank (described as "pornographic" in Texas);

The Stupids

Gunter Grass / Tin drum

Little Red Riding Hood
 
 

CHALLENGED BOOKS:
1990 - 1999, 5,718 challenges reported to
or recorded by ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom:

sex / occultism / violence / racism / drugs

1,446: “sexually explicit”
1,262: “offensive language”
1,167: “unsuited to age group”
773: “occult theme or promoting the occult or Satanism,”
630: “violent”
497: homosexual theme or “promoting homosexuality”
397: “promoting a religious viewpoint”
297: “nudity”
245: “racism”
217: "sex education”

also “anti-family”; "drugs"; "political viewpoint"; "insensitivity"
"sexism"; "suicide"; "anti-ethnic"; "abortion";
"Other": 344 (note relatively large number)
 

71%: schools or school libraries
26%: public libraries

60% by parents
15% by patrons
10% by administrators.

http://www.ala.org/bbooks/bbwdatabase.html
 

Has anyone been involved in a censorship dispute?
 

List of motives is included on an ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom form:
(note that the Office expects multiple challenges: "check all applicable")

Basic categories:

CULTURAL: Anti-Ethnic / Insensitivity / Racism / Sexism / "Inaccurate" / Other

SEXUAL:  Homosexuality / Nudity / Sex Education / Sexually Explicit

VALUES:  Anti-Family / Offensive Language / Political Viewpoint / Religious Viewpoint / Unsuited to Age Group

SOCIAL ISSUES: / Abortion / Drugs / Occult or Satanism / Suicide / Violence
 

Intellectual Freedom Challenge Database form:
http://www.ala.org/alaorg/oif/chall.html
 

Additional problem areas:

Hate sites / Nazi memorabilia / texts: illegal in most countries, not in US

Evolution / Creation of universe

Illegal acts (from hacking / free phone calls, stealing cars,  up to explosive devices,
gang-related literature, serial murders, assassination)

Government security / Confidentiality / Textbooks with answers

Diets / Food additives / Junk food / Poisons / Drugs / medical procedures (suicide / abortion manuals)

Denial of the Holocaust / Atrocity photographs
 
 

FORMALLY PROHIBITED IN USA:

OBSCENITY (1973 Miller: must fail all of three tests)

CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

WORKS CLASSIFIED FOR NATIONAL SECURITY REASONS

DEFAMATION

IMMEDIATELY DANGEROUS SPEECH, likely to provoke immediate violent reaction, disorder or danger

Bomb or drug production information

CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR DISTRIBUTION OF INFORMATION ON EXPLOSIVE MATERIALS
Public Law 106-54, Aug. 17, 1999:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=106_cong_public_laws&docid=f:publ054.106
 

S.1428: Methamphetamine Anti-Proliferation Act of 1999 (Introduced in the Senate)
SEC. 9. CRIMINAL PROHIBITION ON DISTRIBUTION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION
RELATING TO THE MANUFACTURE OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c106:1:./temp/~c106z1jqsG:e12052:
 
 

PARADOXES / CONFLICTING VIEWS:
 

PRESSURES ON LIBRARIANS:

TO RESTRICT ACCESS:
Act in accord with personal values
Protect community values
Protect children from harm
Guarantee survival of library as institution
Isolated librarian often under heavy work,
community pressure

TO INCREASE ACCESS:
Protect rights of patrons to free access to ideas and information
Obligation to educate
Obligation to prepare children for real world
Obligation to preserve professional principles
 
 

Are words on page:
communication (neutral, symbolic) or
action (real events, actually affecting reality)?

Printing / supplying / reading text:
is / is not endorsement of ideas in text?
 

Children need to be protected from the world:
important to protect them against corruption which can come via books in school libraries etc.

Children need to be prepared for the world:
experiencing shadows of reality at a safe distance via books is an important part of this preparation
 
 

Those who support free expression: expect rational dialog;

Supporters of censorship: expect judgment of good against evil

Both approaches non-negotiable: expectations never fulfilled
 
 

Challenging books never seen as "saving" the censor,
who is presumably impervious to the message

Challenges often made by people who want
"government out of my face"

School Library: in loco parentis
Public Library: First Amendment
 

Pragmatic viewpoint: censorship creates more problems than it solves;
Counterproductive: attracts attention to the materials under attack;
Many decisions later look silly;
Printing / supplying / reading: not endorsement
poorly worded laws;
texts frequently banned on extracts;
We are producing responsible adults;
we cannot do that by shielding them from books

What do you think?
 

American Library Association Code of Ethics (1995):
"We provide the highest level of service to all library users through appropriate and usefully organized resources; equitable service policies; equitable access; and accurate, unbiased, and courteous responses to all requests.
We uphold the principles of intellectual freedom and resist all efforts to censor library resources".
http://www.ala.org/alaorg/oif/ethics.html
 

Free Speech for Me—But Not for Thee: How the American Left and Right Relentlessly Censor Each Other, 1992, by Nat Hentoff: “the lust to suppress can come from any direction.”
He quotes Phil Kerby, a former editor of the Los Angeles Times, as saying,
“Censorship is the strongest drive in human nature; sex is a weak second.”

"Wherever the line is drawn, somebody is sure to cross it" - MTV
 

CHALLENGES IN LIBRARIES:

PREPARE:
Schools, public libraries must lay out procedures before protests arrive:

Develop, follow and publicize
COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY

Include:
Reference to statements on intellectual freedom
judgment of work as whole
statement that no one person / group can control what goes into library
quality authors / publishers / illustrators
Positive reviews
Prizewinning books

Record motives for decisions in acquisitions records:
good reviews SLJ / Horn Book / won prize

Publicize selection / collection development policy
(post to Internet)

COMPLAINT FORMS:
Prepare complaint form
Complainant should meet with library staff,
hear explanation of policy etc. before protest accepted
Ask for reasons, alternative titles, has read whole book?
What do you feel might be the result of reading, seeing, or listening to this material?
Did it have this effect on you?
Formal identification of complainant
Part of organization?
Rapid decision
Materials remain on shelf until complaint has been fully judged
Decision valid for e.g. 5 years
sample complaint form: e.g.: Duncan, Oklahoma:
http://www.duncan.lib.ok.us/librarypolicies/reconsideration%20form.htm

Easier to solve censorship problems when:
Librarian has strong interpersonal skills
Has drawn up plan of action for handling complaints
Lack of strong feelings from persons making complaint
Lack of strong action by protesting groups
Librarian receives support and materials from professional associations

ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom Workbook for Selection Policy Writing:
covers writing School Library Selection Policy
and defending the library against challenges
Also available as .pdf document (22 pages)
http://www.ala.org/alaorg/oif/workbook_selection.html
 
 

INTERNET RESOURCES:

American Civil Liberties Union:
http://www.aclu.org/

Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press -
First Amendment Handbook
http://www.rcfp.org/handbook/viewpage.cgi

Index on Censorship (strong international coverage)
http://www.oneworld.org/index_oc/index.html

Digital Freedom Network:
http://dfn.org/

Banned Books websites:
http://www.bookwebsites.com/bookbin/bookcats2.fcgi?pathd=1374!Banned+Books

Banned books: MIT Press Bookstore:
http://www-mitpress.mit.edu/bookstore/banned.html

Banned Random House books
http://www.randomhouse.com/books/bannedbooks/
(Publisher publicising its own challenged books)

The Freedom Forum
http://www.freedomforum.org/

American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression:
http://www.abffe.com/index.htm

Intellectual freedom:
http://www.library.ucsb.edu/subj/freedom.html

First Amendment Cyber-Tribune
http://w3.trib.com/FACT/

When the censor comes: a guide for teachers, librarians,
booksellers and others who disseminate the printed word
http://insight.mcmaster.ca/org/efc/pages/chronicle/whattodo.html
(Detailed Canadian guidelines)

SoC: The State of Censorship - Australia
http://libertus.net/censor/

Family Friendly Libraries
http://www.fflibraries.org/

American Family Association
http://www.afa.net/

National Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families
http://www.nationalcoalition.org/

Citizens for Community Values
http://www.ccv.org/

Family Research Council
http://www.frc.org/

Dr. Laura Schlessinger
http://www.drlaura.com/main/