Censorship news and advice for librarians and educators from School Library Journal
Illinois Filtering Bill Fails to Pass By SLJ Staff - 06/04/2007 Illinois librarians have something to be happy about. A bill in the state Senate that would have required filters on public library computers has stalled, making passage of the law unlikely.More
Consider the Source: Star Power By Marc Aronson - 05/01/2008
I’ve written books for young readers for more than two decades, and I once ran an imprint that published edgy titles, like Gary Nash’s Forbidden Love (1999), which is about America’s secret history of race relations, and Judd Winick’s Pedro and Me (2000, both Holt), a graphic novel about his roommate on the reality show Real World who later died of AIDS.
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Scales on Censorship: What’s Going On By Pat Scales - 05/01/2008
When I was in high school, I don’t remember anyone ever challenging the books we read in English class. Why has there been a sudden increase in the number of challenges? And what do I tell our English teachers who’ve become “gun-shy” about selecting books for their classes? I don’t think there’s been a sudden surge of book challenges.
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Oklahoma Senator Blocks Internet Safety Bill Joan Oleck - 03/25/2008
If you're a librarian in Oklahoma, Internet safety organizations need your help. The reason: Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) has placed a "hold" on a Senate bill that would authorize $50 million over a five-year period for Internet Safety crime prevention education programs for kids.
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Scales on Censorship: Parochial Thinking By Pat Scales - 03/01/2008
A parent of a fourth grader recently asked if it was appropriate to have Judy Blume’s Blubber in our collection. I was totally shocked. Why are people still getting riled up over that book? Blubber (Atheneum, 1982) has long been one of Judy Blume’s most challenged books. Some parents just don’t like the way “the kids treat one another” in the story.
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"Ineffective” and “unconstitutional" are some of the unflattering terms two First Amendment watchdog groups use to describe a new crop of congressional bills that aim to protect children on the Internet. To make sure librarians, educators, parents, and policy wonks know just how "flawed" they are, the two groups recently posted a detailed online report of the proposed legislation.
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Unbearable? By Pat Scales - 01/01/2008
I'm sick and tired of teachers coming into the library and telling students that they can't check out certain books because they're not the appropriate reading level. Isn't that censorship? By the way, my principal loves Accelerated Reader. How can I convince her that students should be free to make their own reading selections? This issue is a big problem in many of our nation's schools, and I...
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Beyond Belief: The Golden Compass By Staff - 01/01/2008
Philip Pullman doesn't seem to be fazed by the controversy surrounding The Golden Compass. The just-released cinematic version of his trilogy's first book has stirred up controversy after the United States-based Catholic League urged a boycott of the film. The League wasn't alone: Britain's Association of Christian Teachers blasted the movie, and a Catholic school district in Canada removed the...
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Podcasts are a great way to expand learning beyond the classroom or library. Here are more recommendations from Tech Chicks Anna Adam and Helen Mowers, following up their Dec. 2007 article Listen Up!
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