Censorship: Don't Let it Become an Issue in Your Schools

Reprinted from Language Arts, February 1978 In 1976 the Committee on Bias and Censorship in the Elementary School was formed to work in cooperation with the Task Force on Racism and Bias in the Teaching of English and with other appropriate NCTE committees to provide direction and leadership in the establishment of guidelines for policies for selection of books and other teaching materials in the elementary school. cen-sor n. 1. an official who examines books, plays, news reports, motion pictures, radio programs, etc., for the purpose of suppressing parts deemed objectionable on moral, political, military, or other grounds. 2. any person who supervises the manners or morality of others. 3. an adverse critic, faultfinder. 4. (in the ancient Roman republic) either of two officials who kept the register or census of the citizens, let public contracts, and supervised manners and morals. 5. (in early Freudian dream theory) the force which represses ideas, impulses, and feelings, and prevents them from entering consciousness in their original, undisguised forms. —v. t. 6 to examine and act upon as censor. 7. to delete (a word of passage of text) in one's capacity as a censor. —The Random House Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged Edition Introduction There was a time when curriculum specialists, classroom teachers, and school librarians determined which books and other media were found in American schools. Now, others in our communities seek to have a voice in what children are taught, and how they are taught. While some in the educational community look on this interest with alarm, a school system with professional standards for dealing with censorship can welcome the interest and support of every faction in its community. The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and other professional organizations are attempting to meet today's changing attitudes. In 1972, a three-day NCTE study group entitled, "The Right to Read: What?: Free Access and Censorship, K-8," was held at the Minneapolis Convention. Its objective was to explore various ways in which censorship affects elementary and middle school children's libraries and children's book publishing houses. It dealt with that difficult line between selection and censorship as experienced by editors, librarians, and teachers. Panelists discussed areas of contention, particularly those related to teachers' and students' rights. A consensus emerged that however schools and libraries choose to cope with censorship matters locally, the existence of definite written book-selection policies, on file with administrations, tended to lessen the likelihood of censorship becoming an issue in a community. As a result of this observation, the study group submitted a resolution that a committee be appointed to provide direction and leadership in the establishment of policy guidelines for the selection of books and other teaching materials. What follows is the result of the work of that committee. We at the elementary level had long felt secure, with only an infrequent or obscure notice in a local newspaper from a disgruntled organization or group of parents objecting to a trade book for young children. Now, some elementary teachers say they fear retribution if using certain books; librarians speak of their experiences with pressure groups; and editors tell us that words and illustrations are deleted or changed in certain books in some schools and libraries. In addition, attorneys, parents, and teachers of children's literature have told us that children's books and nonprint media are no longer safe from rigorous community scrutiny. There is censorship of children's materials at the elementary level, of textbooks, nonprint media, and trade books. The issue and problem attracted attention nationally as a result of the United States Supreme Court decision on obscenity in June 1973. That decision reaffirmed the principle that "obscenity" is not protected by the First Amendment and the fifty states and their communities may continue to prohibit the publication and sale of obscene material. The Court redefined material which can be labeled obscene without infringing on First Amendment rights as: 1) taken as a whole, it appeals to prurient interest in sexuality; 2) it portrays in a patently offensive way sexual conduct specifically defined by the applicable law; and 3) taken as a whole it does not have serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value. To be prohibited as obscene, the material must meet all three requirements. Two additional features of these new rulings are of particular interest. One is the abandonment of the requirement that the materials be utterly without redeeming social value. The other is the Court's permission to use community rather than national standards. (The State is not being recognized as a community.) Although it is not possible to foresee the practical impact of this major decision, certainly it is important to consider how it affects the many kinds of censorship.   Forms of Censorship 1.  Subtle censorship of "selection." The perspective of the individual or group making selections can be one-sided, sometimes from lack of wide knowledge of literature for children, sometimes from a bias against certain types of books or their content, authors, or illustrators. 2.  Deliberate exclusion of certain books. Classroom teachers and librarians sometimes fear that community groups or school officials will object to a book. A list of controversial topics has long kept many books out of some schools or libraries entirely, or on special shelves. School librarians sometimes have a storage room for controversial books. 3.  Alteration of books. Pages or words are sometimes deleted from books and illustrations changed, either in anticipation of, or upon receipt of, objections. 4.  Required book list. (In some communities every child is expected to read all books on a list.) Such a list can deliberately or subtly exclude from the child's reading many fine pieces of literature. This practice more frequently occurs at the secondary and college level, but incidents in elementary schools have been recorded. 5. Suppression of materials as a result of community pressure. Community members or special-interest groups may oppose the purchase of certain books for children, may object to the taxpayers' money being used to buy materials they do not want their children to read, and may demand removal of the materials from public institutions such as schools and libraries. Violence and book-burning have sometimes accompanied confrontations. 6.  Direct edict. The "authority" who, without justification, issues an order that certain materials are not to be part of collections. 7.  Deliberate omission. Collections of materials may exclude examples which would lead to a balanced presentation of people and events, so children have only one or two viewpoints from which to make judgments on complex and frequently controversial matters. These omissions are particularly grievous in the case of materials that are stereotypical. 8.  Curtailment of funds. Refusing funds for materials labeled controversial frequently results in the overall reduction of funding for all materials. There are other forms of censorship. Our hope here is to create an awareness of these problems and issues and to suggest ways in which you, NCTE, and other groups and organizations can face them. NCTE is concerned with maintaining freedom for ideas, freedom to teach, and freedom to learn. Today many organizations and sources of information focus on problems of censorship, including censorship involving children. These will be referred to on the following pages and in a concluding list of suggestions for further reading.   Responsibility for Selection: The Role of the Professional Teaching literature to children should be accepted as an integral part of the elementary school curriculum. Each school district should develop its own statement of the skills, understandings, and attitudes that are the goals of this curricular area. The school librarian/media specialist should be given time at faculty meetings to review and comment on recently acquired material, or older material which might prove valuable in the various curriculum areas. Special meetings might also be planned to discuss materials of potential value for the teaching program. Such meetings could include consideration of possible censorship problems. Classroom teachers, special teachers, curriculum area specialists, and principals should all be encouraged to recommend titles of print or nonprint materials which they feel might strengthen or enrich their teaching and which they wish to be added to the Library/Media Center. Teachers should be encouraged to think through a rationale for any book to be read to or by the entire class. For primary teachers, who may read aloud many picture books to their classes each week, a written rationale is not practical. However, teachers should be prepared to explain their choices, stating why the book was chosen and what the objectives are in terms of the problems, needs, or interests of their individual class. Teachers should also be encouraged to think through a rationale for books that they select for small group work or for individual reading. This material should be concordant with the aims of the literature program and the needs and interests of the students. Obviously, the teacher should be thoroughly familiar with all assigned selections. In short, professional responsibility means not only selecting print and nonprint materials, but also possessing a willingness and ability to defend the choices made. Teachers who are prepared to justify their choices and who have shared their thinking in faculty meetings will not be threatened by an objecting parent or would-be censor. They will expect that other teachers, the librarian/media specialist, and principal will support them in such a situation. Besides that, they will have established a pattern of identifying possible censorship problems inherent in their choice of materials, building confidence in their own abilities to make curricular decisions.   Factors to Be Considered In Selecting Materials This section provides a defense for developing a written selection policy for print and nonprint materials, one which will call upon the expertise and practical knowledge of all school and library personnel who effectively contribute to it. Without such a policy, teachers, librarians, and administrators are vulnerable to irrational (and often successful), censorious attacks on the curriculum. When considering criteria for book selection, one usually thinks of both trade books and textbooks. One distinction between the two is that while trade books may on occasion be used by groups, they are customarily used by or with individuals; while on the other hand textbooks are customarily used with a group or class and are designed primarily for instructional purposes. Fundamental to the selection of all literature, trade book or textbook, must be its quality of humanism.   Trade Books For trade books the following criteria are of primary importance: A) Literary Quality Literary quality relates to style of writing or the arrangement of words and sentences that best expresses the dominating theme. It includes sentence structure, dialogue, and vocabulary. Literary quality is not affected by format or illustration. Characterization is an aspect of literary quality. An effectively realized character acts and speaks in a way that is believable for that character. Plot is another aspect of literary quality. The incidents of a story must be interrelated and carry the reader along to its climax. Still another aspect of literary quality is a story's theme, in which the philosophy of the author is expressed in the meaning of the story and often reflects developmental values in the growing-up process. B) Appropriateness Factors to be considered in assessing the appropriateness of books are children's interests, the age level and/or maturity of children in relation to the book being considered, and the content, format and illustration. While the format and illustrations are not directly related to the elements considered under literary quality, they should complement the text as well as be evaluated on the basis of artistic standards. C) Usefulness An important aspect of usefulness is the purpose for using books in relation to curriculum objectives. Basic to the selection of any book is the suitability of the text; but by no means is this to be construed to mean controversial materials will not be used. Accuracy is important in nonfiction and in fiction in regard to theme, setting, characters, and incidents. Authenticity is important in fiction and biography, especially in those books with a historical background. D) Uniqueness All books are unique. Their uniqueness may be a result of their theme, plot, style of writing, characterization, format, or illustration. Such books may have a special place and use in the classroom and library. Teachers must know what it is about a book that makes it unique, and must share this information with others. E) Breadth of Coverage Books may present problems of stereotyping with respect to sex and to race. Religion, politics, and questions of morality or patriotism are issues about which there are considerable differences of opinion. The importance of such books may lie mainly, or only, in their historical viewpoint and should be presented as such to children who read them. Teachers and librarians should be aware of these considerations and should make every effort to provide materials which present alternate points of view. Historically there have always been those who have recognized the offensiveness of these materials. Children, like adults exposed to new ideas, can accept or reject them, based on input from all viewpoints. All opinions require protection under the First Amendment.   Textbooks For textbooks, the same criteria appropriate for trade books are important, but certain additional criteria must be considered. These are: A) Special Needs of Children within the School System Frequently, books that may be considered appropriate for children in one community, may be inappropriate in another community. In some cases, the length of time a book may be used may affect its appropriateness. B) Suitability of the Book within the Framework of the Logical Development of Teaching Skills and Objectives   Other Print Material Other print materials are frequently used in schools and libraries, along with trade books and textbooks. Magazines should be selected for literary quality, content and appropriateness for the age and maturity of the child; many adult magazines complement nonfiction materials. Pamphlets have a usefulness for up-to-date information, and while literary style may not be a prime consideration, accuracy and lack of bias are especially important in selecting pamphlets. Newspapers frequently represent a particular viewpoint; when possible, other newspapers representing alternate viewpoints should be made available. For nonprint materials such as films, filmstrips, phonodiscs, cassettes, film loops, slides, realia, videotapes, etc., the criteria that apply to print materials are applicable. One other facet is of importance: A) Technical Quality The quality of the various production and manufacturing aspects of the medium, such as sound, photography, reproduction, editing, etc., should be considered. The uniqueness of the medium must be considered, so that the particular quality of a work is accurately reflected in the medium in which that work is reproduced. A poor quality selection is sometimes made when it is the only work available in a given area.   Strategies for the Classroom Teacher In Dealing with Censors The following is a list of practical suggestions for the individual classroom teacher that could prove helpful either in preventing censorship problems or in dealing directly with community complaints about materials some may label offensive. A) BEFORE censorship problems arise, here are some things the teacher should do, as a matter of regular practice: Check that there is a written adopted policy on file -- if there is not, encourage the school district to provide one. Develop a file on books in your classroom. Include a copy of a published review (if available), comments by children, your own remarks, and suggestions as to how you might use the book with children. Themes, units, and ideas presented in language arts, literature, and other curricular areas should present a balanced rather than a one-sided point of view. In developing plans and selecting materials, consult with the school librarian and other specialists from the school and community. Encourage your colleagues to read books that you are excited about. In certain curricular areas such as sex education and drug abuse, be sure to confer with the appropriate curriculum directors so that you can utilize their expertise both in dealing with the questions and comments of children and in selecting the materials you plan to use. When you use a book that has been criticized in the past, consider tape recording a small group discussion about the book. Have it on hand for possible future use. Keep your principal informed. B) BEFORE censorship problems arise, here are some ways you and your colleagues might inform the parents in your community: Conduct periodic book roundtables, perhaps as an extension of a PTA study group. Include school and public librarians, parents, and community leaders. Share new books as well as older titles. Have a parents' reading round robin, groups of three to five parents from your classroom who would enjoy receiving new books to read, not to screen them, but to get them "into books."  Use the counsel of parents to verify the accuracy of books. When several children have read and want to talk about round robin books, invite the parents who have read them to participate in the discussion. Plan one parent-teacher meeting each year focused on children's books. This occasion would be a good time to explain the materials selection process in your school and district. Plan to lead this program. Volunteer! Perhaps a children's book author or illustrator might be invited for such a meeting; a panel discussion about children's books might be appropriate. During your school's open house, be sure to explain to parents your objectives in language arts and literature. During regularly scheduled parent-teacher conferences, suggest to parents that literature offers special opportunities for children to understand themselves and the world. If you send home with each child a weekly or monthly letter about school work and activities, be sure to mention your current literature program. Letters such as these are excellent for sharing your objectives with parents. They also make parents feel a part of their children's experience. Informed parents are likely to be supportive of your program. In planning your program for reading aloud for the whole year, there should be a place for materials designed to elicit children's questions, e.g., how to help children cope with peer pressures about drugs and sex. Encourage parents to read the books you plan to use ahead of time. Hold a meeting with parents so that, together, you can discuss how questions and comments might be handled at home. Encourage parents to keep you informed about concerns children bring home from school. These may be revealing problems that you as a teacher can deal with through use of school materials, or they may be pointing up misconceptions that are growing out of school experience. C) IF and AFTER censorship problems arise (and before a formal complaint procedure is initiated), here are some approaches and considerations: Be sure to inform your principal of any complaint, and how you plan to handle it. Urge your principal to read or view the material objected to. Afterwards, share with him/her your reasons for using the material with children. Also, try to get a school board member and a local minister, rabbi, or priest to read or look at the material. If a parent complains about material, insisting on an immediate discussion about it, defer such a discussion; make an appointment with him/her for a later time. At the same time, assure the parent that you have a concern for the child's interest. Neither you nor the parent should be in the position of discussing material without careful consideration beforehand of the factors that are to be discussed. Do not defend materials on the spur of the moment. Apart from being unfair to all concerned, and particularly to children, it is your professional duty to present your views thoughtfully and with consideration. Reread or review the material in question, even though you may already be familiar with it. Identify its strengths. Put down in writing why you believe it is proper and useful in your teaching program. Collect reviews of the material from such publications as Language Arts, English Journal, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Horn Book, School Library Journal, and other professional publications. There may be three to five parents, other than the complaining parents, who may be particularly supportive of your teaching objectives. Request that they read or view the material being questioned and invite their written reactions, addressed to you and your principal.   Formal Complaints and How to Handle Them You and the complaining parent should meet to review your school's materials selection policies and procedures, and all the considerations and factors that have influenced your decision to include in your class the offending materials. If the parent does not agree with your position, he/she should be invited to register a formal complaint. Most communities have found that the form developed by NCTE can readily be adapted for local use. Included here is a slightly modified version of it prepared by the American Library Association's Office of Intellectual Freedom which provides for nonprint as well as print media. It has been the experience in most communities that the very existence of a form such as this one will discourage parents from pressing their concerns. However, that is not the point of the form. The point is to get parents to state clearly what they find offensive, why they find it to be so, and what they would recommend as suitable alternative materials for their children. This allows parents to feel involved with schools and libraries, not to be in control of them.   Request for Reconsideration of Materials Title: ________________________________  ( __ Book   __Periodical  __ Other: ____________) Author: ________________________________   Publisher: ________________________________ Request initiated by: ________________________________ Address: ________________________________ City: ________________________________  State: ____  Zip: _______ Telephone: ________________________________ Do you represent: __ Yourself __ An organization (name: ________________________________) __ Other group (name: ________________________________) 1. To what in the work do you object? (Please be specific. Cite pages or sections). 2. Did you read, view, or hear the entire work? What parts? 3. What do you feel might be the result of exposure to this work? 4. For what age group would you recommend this work? 5. What do you believe is the theme of this work? 6. Are you aware of judgments of this work by literary or other critics? 7. What would you like your library/school to do about this work? __  Do not assign/lend it to my child. __  Return it to the staff selection committee/department for re-evaluation. __  Other. Explain: ________________________________ 8. In its place, what work would you recommend that would convey as valuable a picture and perspective of the subject treated? Signature: ________________________________ Date: ________________________________   Ideally, when a teacher, librarian, administrator, and/or board member can discuss the rationale behind using a particular book, film, etc. in the school, citing its review, the reactions of children to it, and its particular strengths, most parents will accept the fact that there are reasons for including this particular work in the classroom or library. It cannot be stressed too strongly that it is a mistake to feel that parents are interfering. It is fatal, in asserting the importance of the First Amendment, to make parents feel that an adversary relationship exists between the community on the one hand and schools and libraries on the other. When such a feeling exists, it inevitably leads to public hearing and local press coverage that may polarize disparate elements in a community, and it is children who are the victims when such polarization takes place.   Three Ways to Develop Community Support for the Presence of a Wide Range of Children's Materials In Schools and Libraries A) Professional Get-Together Twice a year -- once in the fall and once in the spring -- elementary school teachers, school librarians/media specialists, and public librarians should meet to talk about new materials available for children: The public librarian might select a dozen or so new books that he/she considers to be important, display them, and talk about them. A curriculum supervisor or head of elementary education might discuss highlights of professional meetings recently attended, and from professional journals regularly read. A school librarian/media specialist and a teacher might describe three or four new films for children, and might even select a single one as their choice as the season's best, screening it for others. Administrators might discuss community issues of probable concern to teachers and librarians working with children. Most important, the people attending a gathering should get to know each other. B) Special Events Once a year select a special event, varying the event every year, that would tend to encourage people to respect the dignity and worth of others. Organize programs in schools and libraries, centering on these events and involving children, the press, religious groups, and local civic clubs as co-sponsors. The events should feature displays of the wide diversity of materials, i.e., books, films, filmstrips, toys, etc., that are an integral part of good schools and libraries. The subliminal message is that here, in this institution, your child's world will open up. Here are just a few events that might appeal to your community: Black History Week (February) Youth Art Month (March) Earth Day (March) International Children's Book Day (April) Freedom Week (June) National Hispanic Heritage Week (September) Trick or Treat for UNICEF (October) Children's Book Week (November) American Education Week (November) Think especially of your community and the people and events most likely to make it proud. C) Local Media Week Select one week, probably in the fall, and take the time to contact all of the persons whom your school and library should know on local newspapers, radio stations, and television stations. Appoint a committee which is large enough and representative enough so that no more than two local media representatives would have to be contacted by a group of no more than two or three teachers librarians or administrators. Your objective is to familiarize the press and broadcasters with your resources and with the wide variety of materials which you try to make available to young people. Remember: the press, more than any other single element in your community, is concerned with the preservation of First Amendment rights. In a time of trouble, the press can be your strongest ally, but only if it knows beforehand who you are and what you are doing. Local Media Week need not be an elaborate occasion. Simply write or call beforehand the appropriate newspaper editors or station directors, explain that you want to stop in for a get-acquainted session (or better yet, invite them to visit your school or library), and don't prolong the session after you've said what you have to say. On another occasion, you might wish to select local clergymen for similar get-acquainted sessions. In some communities, clergymen can prove especially strong allies in times of stress.   DON'T WAIT Censorship Can Become an Issue in Your School and Community. Don't Let it Happen!   Suggestions for Further Reading There is a wealth of materials in print, both books and periodicals, on the subject of censorship, First Amendment rights, and factors related to both areas. Some of these materials contain extensive bibliographies, so the listing that follows in no way attempts to be definitive nor should it be considered exhaustive. Most of the materials listed are readily available in libraries. With one exception, prices are not included, for they frequently change. Three organizations and some of their publications which you will want to consult: American Civil Liberties Union, 22 East 40th St., New York, NY 10016 Combating Undemocratic Pressures on Schools and Libraries: A Guide for Local Committees. 1972 A brief (15 pages) statement of the problems associated with local pressure groups, with suggestions on how to deal with censorship. Includes NCTE form for reconsideration of a book. The Rights of Teacher: The Basic ACLU Guide to a Teacher's Constitutional Rights. David Rubin. (Avon Books) 1972. Explains what teachers' rights are and how to protect them. American Library Association, 50 East Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611 Intellectual Freedom Manual. (Office of Intellectual Freedom) 1974 In loose-leaf format, so that additions may be made as published, the manual brings together a history of ALA's commitment to intellectual freedom. It deals not only with theoretical considerations, but also contains practical advice for dealing with censorship and an extensive bibliography. Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom. (Office for Intellectual Freedom) Bi-monthly reports of significant events associated with intellectual freedom: news reports, reprints of articles, book reviews, identification of works "now troublesome," along with descriptions of the events surrounding their "troublesomeness," current bibliography, significant court decisions, actions in Congress and state legislatures, and "success stories." National Council of Teachers of English, 1111 W. Kenyon Road, Urbana, IL 61801-1096 Arizona English Bulletin, Vol. 17, No. 2, Feb. 1975. "Censorship and the Teaching of English," edited by Kenneth Donelson, Arizona State University. Over fifty articles, covering a vast range of factors associated with censorship and English teaching; "263 pages crammed full of ideas and facts and techniques about censorship and fighting censorship; bibliography."  The Student's Right to Read. Includes practical information on dealing with censorship problems when they arise, and the NCTE form, "Citizen's Request for Reconsideration of a Book," that can be adapted for local use.   Of the many books available on this subject, one is especially useful and readable: Lobbying for Freedom: A Citizen's Guide to Fighting Censorship at the State Level. Kenneth P. Norwick. (St. Martin's Press) 1975 Practical advice on how state legislatures work, how lobbyists operate, and on how interested persons and groups can make their thoughts and ideas known at the state level, where most laws relating to censorship are enacted today. While there is informative and useful background information on the history of censorship and U.S. Supreme Court rulings in the area, the strength of this work lies in its practical approach for the average citizen. Note: a 72-page abbreviation/summary of this work in pamphlet form, with the same title, is available, free, from The Playboy Foundation, 919 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611   One book that presents a case for limiting First Amendment rights in certain circumstances: Where Do You Draw the Line? Victor B. Cline (ed.) (Brigham Young University Press) 1974.   The listing of articles that follows is a very short one, selected from thousands on the subject. It attempts to include varying viewpoints: Darling, Richard. "Censorship -- An Old Story," Elementary English, May 1974. pp. 691-696. The Dean of Columbia University's Graduate School of Library Services explores historical precedents for censoring children's books, particularly on the part of their creators, who described "the exemplary lives of saintly children," on the part of such 19th Century American groups as the Unitarian Ladies Commission; and, more recently, on the part of various pressure groups. Divoky, Diane. "How to Fight Censorship," Learning, Aug./Sept. 1974, pp. 40-45. Practical guidelines for teachers and strategies to protect themselves and their students. Donelson, Ken. "Censorship in the 1970's: Some Ways to Handle It When It Comes (And It Will)," English Journal, Feb. 1974, pp. 47-51. The editor of NCTE's "The Student's Right to Read," identifies numerous books (many of them children's books) that have been under attack by censors in the 1970's and suggests six specific recommendations for English Departments to consider before a censor comes. Donelson, Kenneth L. "What to Do When the Censor Comes," Elementary English, March 1974, pp. 403-409. Mr. Donelson, Professor of English at Arizona State University, identifies children's books, by titles, that have been the subject of controversies and debates as "the taboos that had prevailed in children's literature and adolescent literature have been more and more ignored by writers." He isolates seven "assumptions" he makes about censorship, and recommends that "language arts or English teachers and librarians should develop policy statements which indicate as clearly as possible the rationales they have for stocking or teaching literature." He suggests some considerations in forming the policy statements. Flanagan, Leo N. "Defending the Indefensible: The Limits of Intellectual Freedom," Library Journal, Oct. 15, 1975, p. 1887-1891 The Coordinator of the Pawtucket, RI, Public and Regional Library comments on "the impracticality, oversimplification, legal difficulties, anti-intellectualism, and want of professionalism manifest" in the Introduction to the American Library Association's Intellectual Freedom Manual. He suggests that intellectual freedom, as defined in this work -- "The right of any person to believe whatever he wants on any subject and to express his beliefs or ideas in whatever way he thinks appropriate" -- is "patently impractical," and that the Manual's advice to promote varying viewpoints on all questions is "to avoid doing what professionals in other fields actually do, that is, to avoid judging what is conducive to human growth and what is not." Leeper, Robert R., (ed.) "Controversy and Education," Educational Leadership, Oct. 1975, pp. 3-30. Two editorials and six articles, including four touching on aspects of censorship: "Back to Basics -- With a Difference," "Managing Controversy about Optional and Alternative Programs," "Barometers of Conflict," and "The Textbook Dispute in West Virginia: A New Form of Oppression."   Two thoughtful "position papers" calling for a clarification of the role of intellectual freedom and the need of teachers and librarians to promote bias-free materials are: "Censorship and Racism: A Dilemma for Librarians," in Interracial Books for Children Bulletin, Vol. 6, Nos. 3 and 4, 1975. The editors of the publication of the Council on Interracial Books for Children (CIBC) indicate support for the American Library Association's Children's Services Division's (CSD) stand on re-evaluating materials in children's collections, and urge that all librarians and educators subscribe to CIBC's resolution asserting "the equal value of all human beings and in the equal value and integrity of all human histories and cultures…" "CSD Intellectual Freedom Committee Reports," Top of the News, Nov. 1975, pp. 22-27. Presenting the texts of CSD's "Statement on Re-evaluation of Library Materials for Children's Collections," "Re-evaluating Library Collections: An Interpretation of the 'Library Bill of Rights,' " and "Sexism, Racism and Other Isms in Library Materials: An Interpretation of the 'Library Bill of Rights,' " this committee poses several questions that suggest that these various documents from the same organization are confusing and contradictory. See also "CSD Intellectual Freedom Committee: Statement to the CSD Board, January 21, 1976," by Diane Farrell, Top of the News, April 1976, pp. 223-235.   A useful "joint publication of the American Association of School Administrators, The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), The National Association of Elementary School Principals, and National Association of Secondary School Principals is "Censorship: The Challenge to Freedom in the School." It is available for 50 cents from ASCD, Suite 1100, 1701 K Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20006.   This position statement may be printed, copied, and disseminated without permission from NCTE.