Censorship and Material Selection Policies Essay - 863 Words

A book is a door into a new world. When someone writes, they choose their words carefully so that the story flows, makes sense, and goes along with what they are writing about. Everything from the scenery, to the way a certain character talks is thought about and brought to life by a few simple scratches on a page. Some people want to suppress the writings of geniuses just because of an image, idea, or phrase on the grounds that they are morally objectionable by the standards applied by a censor. It has been like this for ages. As long as someone has something to tell, another will be there to try and prevent them. Schools have been doing this for quite a while now and there is a need to stop it. Censorship of books in schools should not†¦show more content†¦Promoting student power in the choice of high school literature can prove uncomfortable, wild, and touchy. Without the right amount of preparation, research, and reading, teachers may find language, content, and themes t o be more mature than they really wanted. Young adults’ choices in literature can make teachers cringe at the very thought. However, instead of censoring texts, the focus should shift to students ability to read beyond what society has marked as â€Å"inappropriate.†(Denzin) For multitudes of children, teens, and even some adults, Harry Potter is a hero. He fights wickedness and stands up for his friends and the entire wizarding world. However, not everyone agrees. Instead, he is perceived as a threat by quite a few groups. DeMitchell and Carney discusses how some adults on a school board reacted to this perceived threat. Over half of a school board voted to restrict access to Harry Potter books in the public school library. The resulting legal battle over the boards actions helps to define not just Harry Potters place in the public school library but the rights of students alike. (eric.ed.gov) There are States who still censor practically everything that goes through their school libraries. Long Island has remained quiet with respect to the censoring of books in public schools. The rest of the country, as the National Library Association has made all too clear. Throughout the United States, every day books fall victim to theShow MoreRelated Censorship and Selection Essay1595 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Censorship is a dirty word to information professionals. Attempts by individuals or groups to restrict the public from reading, hearing or viewing certain materials due to their content, is enough to send librarians and organizations such as the American Library Association, to the proverbial battle field. However, information professionals from all fields have to make choices about what to include and what not to include in their particular librarys collection. How are these selections madeRead MoreKey Elements Of Collection Development Policy1100 Words   |  5 Pages1.0 Introduction Collection development policy is a blueprint for developing collections. The policy is a written document and the policy is a guideline for libraries in acquisition and maintenance collections. According to Johnson (2009 cited in Gregory 2014, p.33), the libraries need a master plan to develop their collections. The absence of planning document leads into misleading for selection, deselection and decision making. As a result, the libraries may lose many opportunities in developingRead MoreThe Library Functions On The Concept Of Intellectual Freedom Essay1057 Words   |  5 Pagesscaring her child. She later asks that the book removed to the library and with threats to sue. After calmly listening to her complaint, I proceeded to explain the policies and procedures for challenging a book. I explained the library functions on the concept of intellectual freedom. Mrs. Green was given a copy of the district challenge/ban policy and a pamphlet on the steps for filing a challenge. Additionally, Mrs. Green was made aware that even though I listened to her complaint, she needed to put theRead MoreSchool Librarians Case Study1076 Words   |  5 PagesOne of the new AASL Shared Foundations: Engage (2017) is that librarians â€Å"implement organizational policies and practices related to censorship, materials challenges, library records, and responsible use of information resources† (Shared Foundations Engage sect. para. 4). Subsequently, librarians demonstrate their leadership capabilities through implementing and disseminating information to their school on guidelines for students’ use of digital tools and library resources. Furthermore, librarian sRead MoreThe Effect of Shared Culture of Journalists on the Selection and Presentation of News737 Words   |  3 PagesThe Effect of Shared Culture of Journalists on the Selection and Presentation of News News is formed through a selective process which is controlled by media professionals such as journalists correspondents and editors. Agenda setting, a theory created by Stephen Lukes, sees how journalistrs select news that is projected through the media. Agenda setting also sees bias in the media, which is most commenly dominated in the political broadcasts. The Glasgowuniversity mediaRead More Censorship in the Classroom Essay2774 Words   |  12 Pageswant controversial materials out of the classroom? In this look at the language of censorship, we must first define censorship, who does the censoring, and why. These will be the first three spotlights for looking at the language of censorship. Then, we will look at how teachers, especially teachers of literature and the language arts are affected by censorship. Finally, we will preview how censorship can be taught in the classroom, to prevent some of tomorrows censorship cases. I neverRead More Banned Books Essay1279 Words   |  6 Pagesemployer but parents themselves. The main objetcive of libraries are to maintain a family-oriented institution.The libraries offer a broad selection of reading materials for everyone to use including parents, teachers, young adults, and children. Many public libraries facilities have special areas for children and teens with materials that appeal to those particular ages and particular interests. Libraries also offer programs for children and young adults to assist them with learningRead MoreThe Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn By Samuel Langhorne Clemens1325 Words   |  6 PagesAll schools and educational institutions of any sort have a policy regarding the selection of instructional materials. The Denali Borough School District in Alaska is a school system that opened up to talk about their policy. Alaska is one of the few states in the United States that allows schools to more or less govern themselves, giving them soft standards that must be met but giving the freedom to pick and choose any instruct ional material that is desired, many schools do not have this privilegeRead MoreEssay on Censorship and Book Banning1838 Words   |  8 Pages Censorship is a concept with several different meanings. To each individual censorship has its own meaning. Is it a violation of our rights or is it a protection for our well being? Censorship in the generic sense refers to the suppression of information, ideas, or opinions. It occurs in all forms of communication from technological media to print media. Each society, culture, or individuals belief is violated by the codes of censorship that our society instills. Book banningRead More Internet Censorship - Just Say No1369 Words   |  6 PagesInternet Censorship: Just Say No    In December of 1994, a young college student named Jake Baker posted one of his fiction pieces in an alt.sex newsgroup. Usually, his contributions to this widely-read site consisted of short stories about rape, torture, and murder of women. In this particular newsgroup post, he continued with his usual contributions; however, he took it a bit further by writing about one of his fellow classmates, using her name and identity in the piece. Faculty members at