Censorship Challenge News, May 2006
Millie Davis, NCTE Director of Communications and Affiliate Services

R-rated films topped the list of 22 censorship challenges reported to NCTE during the 3rd Quarter (from January 1 through March 31, 2006), compared with 16 for the same time period in 2005.  In three instances, an attempt was made to ban all the R-rated films in school curricula and libraries and from any out-of-class assignments.  NCTE met these attempts with three important pieces of information: 1) NCTE Guidelines for Dealing With Censorship of Nonprint Materials (http://www.ncte.org/about/over/positions/category/cens/107611.htm; 2) the ruling from the court case San Ramon Valley Education Association, et al., vs. the San Ramon Valley Unified School District (in California) stating that the MPAA ratings are not indications of the educational merit of a film; and  (3) a reminder that to use the MPAA ratings when selecting educational materials (as if they were indications of educational merit) flies in the face of the curricular and standards criteria districts use to select instructional materials.

In total 19 individual works were challenged along with the multiple R-rated films in three separate challenges.  In addition, we had three requests for information about challenges and challenged books, one from a reporter; and three reporters called to report challenges and to find out information about them. 

Two challenges that ended successfully (one from this report and one that began earlier this year but that wasn’t resolved until recently) are written about in this issue of the SLATE Newsletter.  The heartfelt book defenses written by these educators and the spirit with which they took up the challenge to defend literature are representative of the best of who we are as teachers of literature, why we teach the literature we teach, and, ironically, why it is often challenged. 

Working with the challenges reported to NCTE, I have to agree with Sherman Alexie who recently said, “There is a worldwide fight between those who seek to control stories and those who don’t.” (“Without Reservations,” NCTE Northwest Regional Conference, March 5, 2006).  Yet NCTE policy on intellectual freedom stands firm on what Judith Krug of the American Library Association spoke about recently: our obligation to our communities as librarians and educators to have something available for everyone to read (or in the case of movies, to view).  I would add that we don’t need to approve of all the books or films in our classrooms nor of every event in those books or films nor all the language spoken or acts committed by characters in those books or films.  We teach those books or films because they meet our curricular goals but even more so because they enable readers and viewers to go places they’ll never go in their real lives (and some places they should never have to go), to engage with meaningful themes, and to think critically about and through the literature—to learn and think and grow through the interchange of ideas into the active citizens we need for our democracy to work.

All who contact NCTE receive e-mail, telephone, or fax responses, followed by other action such as rationales, policies, advice, and letters, when requested. Our Anti-Censorship Web site is the first resource referenced for all who contact NCTE. Many have visited the Web site before calling or filling out a Censorship Challenge Report.

If you are experiencing a challenge to materials or methods, or if you know someone who is, visit http://www.ncte.org/about/issues/censorship and click on the "Report a Censorship Incident" option or call Millie Davis at 800-369-6283, extension 3634 (or 217-278-3634).

***Also note that NCTE now has two CD’s of rationales for challenged challenged texts—see http://www.ncte.org/about/issues/censorship/five/108603.htm ***

Below, listed alphabetically by work, are the cases that were reported from January 1 to March 31, 2006, with as much information as we currently have on the challenge.

SOME RECENT CASES

Adventures of Huckelberry Finn, Mark Twain (11th Grade AP Preparation class (chronological American Literature, NY), "N" word and steretoyical portrayal of Jim as stupid.  Sent rationale.

Bluest Eye, The, Toni Morrison (Libraries and classrooms of district, CO). Inappropriate sexual content.  Sent information and rationale 3rd Quarter 2005.  Letter of support sent this quarter.  Note that this challenge has continued for a year.

Bowling for Columbine (film), Michael Moore (12th Grade Political Science class, PA), a parent's belief that students who watch the film will get the idea "to shoot up the school".  Sent information and letter of support.

Children of the River, Linda Crew (9th Grade Summer Reading, WA), principal didn't like the back cover material.  Sent information.

Chocolate War, The, Robert Cormier (9th grade, CO), "dark" thematic content.  Sent information and rationale.

Chocolate War, The, Robert Cormier, (Freshman English, ID), anit-God and anti-Christian.  Sent information, rationale, and letter of support.

Fallen Angels, Walter Dean Myers (8th grade, TX), profanity.  Sent information and rationale.

Fallen Angels, Walter Dean Myers (11th grade English III, TX), profanity.  Sent information, rationale, and letter of support sent. CENSORED AS A CLASSROOM NOVEL, BOOK REMAINS IN LIBRARY AND STUDENTS MAY READ FOR READING COUNTS.

Fallen Angels, Walter Dean Myers (11th grade English, OK), language "f" word.  Sent information and rationale. RETAINED

Flowers for Algernon, Daniel Keyes (7th  Grade independent reading list, PA), swear words and love scene.  Sent information and rationale. REMOVED FROM 7TH GRADE BOOK LIST AVAILABLE IN LIBRARY FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ONLY.

Grendel, John Gardner, (9th grade honors, NY), profanity, violence, sexual references, perceived anti-religious stance.  Sent information, rationale, and letter of support.

Killing Mr. Griffin - video, Lois Duncan (9th grade, OK), substitute teacher complained that this was inappropirate. Principal requested the book or video not be used.  Sent information and rationale. RETAINED BOOK AND VIDEO.

Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseinia (10th grade general class, OH), profanity, violence, rape.  Sent Information. RETAINED.

Little Girl Who Did What? The, Dianne Dumpey,(2nd-4th, VA), word "fart".  Sent information. BANNED.

R-rated films, (High School library and classrooms, NY).  Sent information and responded to interview.

R-rated films, (R-rated films from high school classrooms in county schools and  PG-13 rated movies from the middle school classrooms of county, MD).  Sent information, responded to interview. BOARD APPROVED POLICY TO ALLOW PROJECT.

R-rated films, (12th grade, CA), R-rating.  Sent information and letter of support.

Running Loose, Chris Crutcher, (OH), sexual content.  Sent information and rationale. BANNED

Secret Lite of Bees, The, Sue Monk (9-12th grade Library, GA), profanity, non-christian morals.  Sent information and rationale.

Separate Peace, A, John Knowles, (SC), sexual references and language.  Sent information and rationale. PARENT APPROVED ALTERNATE BOOK, LITTLE WOMEN.

Things They Carried, The Tim O'Brien (11th grade English, NY), inappropriate language.  Sent information and letter of support.

What My Mother Doesn't Know, Sonya Sones, (Stamburgh Middle School, FL).  Sent information and rationale.