NCTE INBOX

September 21, 2005

...ideas

Preparing for Banned Books Week
Banned Books Week, which runs September 24 to October 1, draws attention to the issue of censorship and how it can best be combated. These resources explore ways to discuss censorship issues with students as well as ways to respond to text challenges in your school.

For a general introduction, visit the ReadWriteThink calendar entry (G), which links to classroom activities and online resources. Be sure to check out the ReadWriteThink lesson plan A Case for Reading -- Examining Challenged and Banned Books (E), which introduces students to censorship and then invites them to read a challenged book and decide for themselves what should be done with the book at their school.

The English Journal articles "Banned Books: A Study of Censorship" (S) and "Celebrate Democracy! Teach about Censorship" (M-S) include details on an extended unit on censorship. The College English article "Deflecting the Political in the Visual Images of Execution and the Death Penalty Debate" (C) explores the visual images that readers are and are not allowed to view and asserts that "the attempt to suppress the visual, as in any censorship of the press, is an attempt to limit debate."

Calls for censorship frequently communicate the tensions between differing cultural and philosophical perspectives. "When Values Clash: Learning from Controversy" (E-M) from Language Arts and "Outside Teachers: Children’s Literature and Cultural Tension" (E-M) from English Leadership Quarterly explore how such conflicts can become opportunities for communities to help students become literate, socially responsible, culturally aware, and contributing citizens.

Responding to Book Challenges
"What Do I Do Now? Where to Turn When You Face a Censor" (G), from the NCTE book Preserving Intellectual Freedom: Fighting Censorship in Our Schools, provides scenarios and the related resources that K-college teachers can use to respond. The SLATE Rationales for Teaching Challenged Books provides detailed instructions for writing your own rationales. As you choose texts for your classes, use the Selection and Censorship chart from The Council Chronicle to shape your decisions and rationales.

Check out the NCTE/IRA Rationales for Challenged Books CD for rationales for dozens of books. For advice, rationales, and other help with challenges to literary works, films and videos, drama productions, or teaching methods, visit the NCTE Anti-Censorship Center.