An Increase in Challenges
Many people think that book banning is something that happened in the distant past. That is certainly not the case. J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books, for example, came under strong attack in the 1990s and into the 2000s. In fact, according to the American Library Association, "The Harry Potter series ranks as the number one most challenged book series of the 21st Century (2000-2006)." (ALA media release, September 19, 2007)In the same media release, the ALA reported that "more than a book a day faces removal from free and open public access in U.S. schools and libraries." The ALA Web site also includes reports of book burnings that have occurred since the start of the 21st Century.
In terms of what happened in 2006, the ALA reports that,
- There were 546 known attempts to remove books in 2006, and more than 9, 200 attempts since the ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom began to electronically compile and publish information on book challenges in 1990. Challenges are defined as formal, written complaints filed with a library or school requesting that materials be removed because of content or appropriateness.
Why Do People Want to Ban Books?
When people challenge books it is generally out of a concern that the contents of the book will be harmful to the reader. According to the ALA, there are four motivating factors:- Family Values
- Religion
- Political Views
- Minority Rights.
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."Kids Fight Book Banning Through kidSPEAK
Several organizations have sprung up in response to concerns about censorship. When the Harry Potter books came under attack, a number of organizations joined together to establish Muggles for Harry Potter. Since then, the organization has decided to focus on being a voice for kids in fighting censorship in general.Muggles for Harry Potter is now known as kidSPEAK. Its sponsors are the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, Association of American Publishers, Association of Booksellers for Children, Children's Book Council, Freedom to Read Foundation, National Coalition Against Censorship, National Council of Teachers of English, PEN American Center, and People for the American Way Foundation. KidSPEAK stresses, "Kids have First Amendment rights—and kidSPEAK helps kids fight for them!"
PABBIS: Parents Against Bad Books in Schools
PABBIS seeks to educate parents in Virginia and nationwide about some of the books being used in schools. The organization urges parents and to support "Upfront-Informed Parental Consent," which would require educators to notify parents of upcoming studies of books that might contain elements that the parents might find objectionable. However, that makes the teacher, in effect, the censor in that it requires him/her to make a judgement call about what parents would find objectionable.Summary: Banning and Censorship of Children's Books
This is such an important topic that I created a Censorship/ Banning Books directory of links to articles on the subject. The ALA's Banned Books Week site is an excellent resource. Banned Books Week is held annually the last week in September.Another excellent resource comes from the Illinois Library Association. On its site, you can download Books Challenged or Banned: 2006-2007, which includes specific information about forty "books challenged, restricted, removed, or banned in 2006-2007 as reported in the Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom from May 2006 through May 2007."
What Do You Think?
According to Free Access to Libraries for Minors, which is an interpretation of the ALA's Library Bill of Rights:-
Librarians and governing bodies should maintain that parents - and only parents - have the right and the responsibility to restrict the access of their children - and only their children - to library resources. Parents who do not want their children to have access to certain library services, materials, or facilities should so advise their children. Librarians and library governing bodies cannot assume the role of parents or the functions of parental authority in the private relationship between parent and child.
