Book Censorship in Schools and Public Libraries - Case Study Example

Sur Lecturer Book censorship in Schools and Public Libraries Introduction Control of the school and public library books has been a big debate in United States of America and even beyond. Whether or not there should be censorship of library resources has created a wide division among the American readers and across the globe. There has been a conflicting relationship between censorship and library users (Smith and Oppenheim, 159). There is therefore need for researching the extent of censorship in United States of America. Intellectual freedoms concerning libraries and their users have been emphasized in the past by professional organizations (CILIP, 39) .This has been done by interviewing the library directors in United Kingdom and also in Canada. They both agreed on the role of libraries in maintenance of the freedom of the intellect. There is a debate on the topic of intellectual freedom as to whether there should exist censorship and what to be censored. The aim of this research will be geared towards ascertaining the extent censorship in both public and school libraries and whether there is any justification of such censorship (Curry, 30). History of public library censorship Censoring public libraries started long time ago. Control of library materials has been a continuous exercise (Thompson, 32).Such controls have been based of materials moral contents and their effect on readers. The information contained in the material has been another basis of such controls. The focus of censorship has been based on current climate and the suspicions of the day at heart (Malley, 90). Malley demonstrates this by showing the importance of literature just immediately after the Second World War. Enemy literature became a target of censorship. Their literature being destroyed by enemy state .This threatened the contents of enemy libraries. Multiculturalism was on the rise leading to “damage of racist and religious intolerant literature” (Malley.80). In the year 1990, censorship of literature was based on politics. In 1970’s censorship almost stopped but later on continued (Oppenheim and Smith, 170). Banning books in public school libraries has been full of legal battles. Suites are filed for or against banning of certain books. There has been renowned landmark cases in USA .These have provided a basis of making decisions during judgments on book censorship. Examples of such cases are: Martin v. City of Trutherss of 1943. The decision made in Minarcini V. Strongsville City School District of 1976 affirmed the case of the battle of human right. There had been recommendation by teachers to their students on the usage of” Catch 22 and God Bless you” in the students discussion of great American literature. The school board however ordered for the removal of such books. This did not spare “Cat’s Cradle” either. The court ruled in favour of students to buy the books suggested by the teachers citing that success of the students would be hindered by the removal of such books. This ruling was used by Judge Albert Coffin in1980 in making his ruling on a case filled banning the use of “The Wonderers and Dog Day Afternoon” from being used in the school library (Kim Stewart, 24). In the same year of 1980, the court ruled in favour of the school board of Warsaw Community School giving them a right of removing several books from the library. The right of the board in designing curriculum based on the school’s discretion was also upheld. The school was given powers to instil tradition and norms in the school by controlling the information resources in the school library. In 1982, the Supreme Court gave the school board powers to remove certain books from the library in good faith or based on educational principles. The basis of such censorship was to be justifiable. Court cases are but just an introduction to censorship of public libraries. Current Society In the recent times, censorship has been based on the terrorist content. With the increase in terrorists attacks in Africa and the western countries, Library censorship have been done to eliminate materials which could having origin of terrorism. Terrorist literature publication and sale have been prohibited in many countries across the globe with exception of the Arab world (Brandon and Murray, 2007). The acceptability of literature material has raised a big debate over the recent past. Even though there is an official guide on the basis of determining legality of a material, the debates have continued to exist. It is accepted that a legally available material; should be placed in the libraries, a fact that is rarely followed by most librarians. With regard to racial and religious discrimination, there has been a sharp division as on the inclusions of such materials in public libraries. There is a class of thought who says that such materials be included but be branded as racist. The other groups argues that the materials that the materials are offensive and should be removed from public and school libraries (Oppenheim and Smith, 160). Oppenheim says that in the event that certain materials are to be removed from the library simply because it does no sound well to a given class of community or class of people, the materials could be other peoples favourite. He therefore concludes that the interest of the target group should be put into play while doing public and school libraries (Oppenheim and Smith, 155). In USA this is not the case. There has been emergence of civil and religious groups demanding for the censorship of books on witchcraft and pornographic contents. Christians in a bid to water down the evolution concept have gone far by influencing school libraries to stock books that contradicts evolution concepts. They do this by donating books on fact propaganda on intelligent Design (ID). They even ensure that such books be stocked alongside books on evolution. Sometimes they have gone to the extent of accusing School libraries of refusing to stock libraries with books of their choices. Censorship has a direct link to the first amendment of the constitution of United States hindered the freedom of press (Kim Stewart, 84). This according to the constitution of United States of America is in contradiction to fundamental human right as contained if the constitution of the land. The freedom of speech and press allows for the right to publish and distribute literature. It therefore gives protection to the person who receives it (qtd. in Foerstel 79). Some school boards remove books they feel are unsuitable to the readers from the book orders. This has led to outcry among the students as well as the public. In many cases it has been viewed as a denial of the library users their fundamental human right. This however does not take place in America alone but notably across the entire globe. Banning of books in school and public libraries is a major concern of the entire society. Parents sent their children to school to gain information in the form of education. In the event students are barred from accessing this vital service, it is seen as a way of denying them their right to information access contained in the freedom of press. On the other hand there is need for ensuring the safety of the children. The safety should not only be physical in nature but also social, emotional and intellectual. There are some times when this right to information could be curtailed in a bid to ensure the emotional and safety of the child. Children are very vulnerable members of the society. They should be protected at all costs even if it means curtailing some of their fundamental human rights. Denying a child right to read literature of pornographic in nature helps protect guard his or her emotional and social safety. With the rapid changes in the society, there is an urgent need of ensuring that cultural diversity is embraced at all costs. Censoring books based on cultural difference should be discouraged at all costs. The young generation needs to embrace cultural difference. This would help their survival in a culturally diverse working environment. There is need of equipping the younger generation on cultural tolerance and familiarity with critical evaluation of their environment. This can only be achieved when the school libraries are not censored a long cultural line. In the recent time, there is increasing demands for censorship. In 1991 to 1992, there was massive censorship of public school libraries. Fourty one percent of all the three hundred and fourty eight attempts was successful. This is according to research done by association of American publishers. Between 1995 and 1996, there were four hundred and seventy five attempts to censor public school libraries. Research by the office of Intellectual Freedom did a research and found that public school libraries are the major targets of censorship claims. Between 1990 and 1998, there were one thousand seven hundred and sixty three attempts of censorship in school libraries. Public libraries got one thousand three hundred and fifty four. This is an indication that school libraries are the major target of censorship. In America, the decision to censorship of libraries is propelled by parents, teachers, school boards, religious leaders and community members. This has resulted to various groupings that initiate of pushes fully for or against elimination of some books from the library. They include such groups as; American Civil Liberty Union (ACLU) and American Library Association (ALA), Focus Family. Coalition against censorship, Council of Interracial Books for Children (NCAC). Individual family members protest for the censorship of certain library books in a bid to promote good morals among the children. They feel that the government has a duty to protect the library users from dangerous information. This group of peoples are a morally centred group. The values of human rights based on information access cuts on both sides. On one hand we are entitled to fundamental human rights at the same time we are subject to moral upbringing of our children. For this reason therefore, there is an urgent need for ensuring that censorship of public and school libraries is done in an organised manner. Parties that argue in favour of censorship aims at protecting fundamental human rights of freedom of press and access to information. Another reason against censorship is the imposition of certain beliefs to other people. Those who support censorship argue that this will protect the right of children to safety and adherence to high moral standards. They are striving to ensure that good morals and positive hope is instilled in their children. It is realized therefore that censorship of public and school libraries takes ethical, legal of management approaches (Curry, 25; Moody, 20). The basis in favour of censorship more so in school libraries was led by preventing access to sexual literature materials to children. Below is a sample table of such research done by American Library Association (ALA, 29). Type of complaint Number of complainants Sexual material 3 Content unsuitable for children 3 Disgusting 2 Vulgar language 2 Violence 1 Cultural 1 Factually in accurate 1 A research done by the New York Times on USA students also shows divided opinions on censorship of public and school libraries. A story is told of an eighteen years old Lee Malvo who got indoctrinated with military literature leading him become a sniper shooting (Qianli Hu, 1). A boy at the age of sixteen years old is being a member of a gang (Joe Jones assaulting a female middle-schoolteacher in the year two thousand). Conclusion According to the list of the possible business strategies presented in this case study; it appears that there is need for careful censorship of both public and school libraries to ensure safety of children from materials that they cannot understand. Children should be accorded right to information access. There is need for school board and the community to work together in streamlining intellectual freedom, book banning and creation of policies that govern censorship of school and public libraries. I therefore agree to the fact that censorship of school and public libraries is a good idea. However, this should be done in consideration to the laid down policies governing such censorship. The controversy of censorship of school and public libraries is tied in the virtues of freedom, truth and protection. When truth is allowed in surplus, it leads to over revelation. Deficit of the same truth leads to deceitfulness. The two should therefore be kept in balance. The excess of freedom will endanger the life of children while deficit will deny them information access curtailing their basic human right to information access. There is need of applying ethical principles in censoring the school and public libraries. Such censorship should be driven by virtues of freedom, protection and truth. These virtues should not be curtailed at the same time they should not be given in excess. An environment should be created to ensure balance of freedom, protection and truth in school and public library censorship. Works Cited Oppenheim, C. & Smith, V. Censorship in libraries. Information Services & Use. 2004 CILIP: Statement on Intellectual Freedom, Access to Information and Censorship. 2005 London: Curry, A. Where is Judy Blume? Controversial fiction for older children and young adults.2001. Malley, I: Censorship and libraries. London: Library association.1990. Thompson, A.H.: Censorship in Public Libraries in the United Kingdom during the Twentieth.1975 Century, Bowker.Kim Stewart .Should Public School Libraries Be Censored? 2004. Qianli, H.To Censor or Not to Censor at the School Library .2001(2009b). ALA .Most frequently challenges authors of the 21 St Centuries. 2009. Foerstel, Herbert N. Banned in the USA: Westport: Greenwood Press, 2002. Read More