The Dangers of Censorship in High School

2585 Words6 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Controversy around censorship

The Dangers of Censorship in High School

Every day well meaning parents, concerned members of society, and Christian activist groups across the country fight to censor the literature that is being taught in high school classrooms. The word censorship carries all types of implications and angles; it involve s a denial of an author's right to guaranteed freedoms of expression. However, as it relates to education, this issue goes a great deal deeper than the standard First Amendment argument. In attempting to ban certain types of literature from the classroom, censors are taking away the rights of teachers to prepare students for a reality that their parents do not seem to think will ever affect them. They likewise deny students the chance to learn how to rationally make their own decisions and instead try to keep that control for themselves. Censorship is preventing intelligent, thoughtful teachers from pushing students to reach past what is just on the page. Whatever their motives may be, those who seek to repress the use of certain materials are doing more harm than good.

Those who actively fight to censor, ban, or restrict the kinds of literature that can be taught in America's classrooms are convinced that anyone who truly believes pornography and obscenity are problems must be in favor of censorship. Kristol (1972) points out that students are being corrupted by books and that anyone who doubts this need only look at the lives of the teachers who oppose him to find adequate proof of the damage they do. He finds that it is the responsibility of the educated in society to regulate censorship, but that these are the very people who are convinced that what is being taught by sensitive educators is indeed appropriate and ev...

... middle of paper ...

...our schools--Censorship of classroom books in the last ten years. English Journal, 86 (2), 21-23.

Gardner, R. (1997). A new fashioned book burning. English Journal, 86 (2), 63-64.

Greenbaum, V. (1997). Censorship and the myth of appropriateness: Reflections on teaching reading in high school. English Journal, 86 (2), 16-19.

Kochman, S. M. (1997). What happens when a high school censors. English Journal 86 (2), 58-60.

Kristol, I. (1972). Pornography, obscenity, and the case for censorship. Current issues and enduring questions. (1993). Boston: St. Martin's Press.

Lacks, C. (1997). The teacher's nightmare: Getting fired for good teaching. English Journal, 86 (2), 29-32.

Rossuck, J. (1997). Banned Books: A study of censorship. English Journal, 86 (2), 67-69.

Suhor, C. (1997). Censorship--When things get hazy. English Journal, 86 (2), 26-27.

Show More
Related

  • Analysis Of Censorship A Personal View By Judy Bulme

    772 Words  | 2 Pages

    What makes censorship her overall main idea and thesis is that she puts in the article and states how she is involved in the National Coalition Against Censorship by stating this fact makes us a reader feel and be given that she is dead serious on the topic of censorship and that she feels strongly about It. Also list current teachers like Gloria pipkins who was award winning English program was targeted by the censors for using adult literature ,Cecilia lacks was fired by a high school in st.louis for letting her students creating writing express the language by using words they heard outside of school. Another point that censorship is the overall main idea and premise of this article is that the parents of the young teens and adolescence are pressuring the schools to remove her books form the school and banned they form the curriculum because of questionable content and explicit material

    Read More

  • Banning Books in Schools

    973 Words  | 2 Pages

    The practice of the censorship of books in schools has been prevalent due to the explicit content of them. Parents have been complaining to schools about books that count as required reading because they disapprove with the points made in the book. If a book consists of offensive or sexually explicit material, then parents would challenge the schools about them in order to prevent their children from reading them. Censorship in general has been an intensely debated issue because it is considered an infringement to the First Amendment of the United States Constitution while others argue it is used to conceal inappropriate things (Aliprandini and Sprague). The banning of books in school curriculum has also been debated since parents see certain books as inappropriate while others argue that banning them hinders student learning. Against the censorship of books in schools, Fenice Boyd and Nancy Bailey, authors of Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, believe that banning books creates a barrier between students and intellectual development (Boyd and Bailey, 655). Banning books from schools and removing them from the curriculum prevents students from exploring different ideas and developing creativity and critical thinking skills.

    Read More

  • Irving Kristol's Pornograpy, Obscenity, and hte Case for Censorship

    1102 Words  | 3 Pages

    Kristol, I. (1971). Pornography, obscenity, and the case for censorship. In L. Faigley & J. Selzer (Eds.), “Good reasons with contemporary arguments.” (pp. 535-538). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

    Read More

  • Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

    648 Words  | 2 Pages

    The common reading of the First Amendment is that commitment to free speech is not the acceptance of only non-controversial expressions that enjoy general approval. To accept a commitment to the First Amendment means, in the words of Justice Holmes, “freedom for what we hate.” As quoted in Students’ Right to Read (NCTE, 1982), “Censorship leaves students with an inadequate and distorted picture of the ideals, values, and problems of their culture. Writers may often be the spokesmen of their culture, or they may stand to the side, attempting to describe and evaluate that culture. Yet, partly because of censorship or the fear of censorship, many writers are ignored or inadequately represented in the public schools, and many are represented in anthologies not by their best work but by their safest or least offensive work.” What are the issues involved in censorship?

    Read More

  • The Tyranny of Banned Books

    1070 Words  | 3 Pages

    Ever since pen was first put to paper there has been some form of censorship surrounding it. The most current form of censorship is to ban the books which are viewed as inappropriate. Such an act not only violates the rights of American citizens, but it also violates the rights of the students to learn. Even if the government could manage to ban all of the books that it feels are inappropriate, the thirst to read such books would only grow. Too often is it forgotten that before the banning of books was an “at home issue,” (Book Banning 1) the federal government tried to cut the flow of inappropriate information off at the source

    Read More

  • Hucklebery Finn by Mark Twain

    923 Words  | 2 Pages

    “Censorship is telling a man he can’t have a steak just because a baby can’t chew it.”(1) This is a quote from author Mark Twain in response to the banning of his novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from public libraries. Huckleberry Finn has proven to be one of the most controversial books in the United States since its first publication in the 1880s. Many people disagree with the language and themes of this book, and bemoan the teaching of it in public high schools. Others argue that Mark Twain’s narrative is an important work of American literature and students that are mature enough for these topics should be exposed to it. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain should not be banned from public high school curriculums because it teaches students about Southern culture in the 19th century, introduces students to information for learning and discussion, and brings up social issues that need to be addressed in today’s society.

    Read More

  • The Banning of Books in American Schools

    1054 Words  | 3 Pages

    Trelease, Jim. "Book Banning Violates Children and Young Adult Freedoms." Book Banning. Ed. Ronnie D. Lankford. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2007. At Issue. Rpt. from "Censorship and Children's Books." Trelease-on-Reading.com. 2006.Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 31 Mar. 2014.

    Read More

  • Banning Books

    4607 Words  | 10 Pages

    The American Association of School Administrators (AASA) defines censorship as: “The removal, suppression, or restricted circulation of literary, artistic, or educational materials… of images, ideas, and information…on the grounds that these are morally or otherwise objectionable in light of standards applied by the censor” (Miner 1998). In schools there are three types of censorship, one type is a “parent who doesn’t want their child to read a particular book. Another is a parent, teacher, administrator, or school board member who argues that no one in the class, or school should read the book in dispute. Lastly, there is censorship that involves someone who is part of an organized campaign, whether of a local or national group, and who goes in ready for a fight and wants to make a broader political point” (Miner 1998). Although there are many others ways that a piece of literature could get censored, most censored works are asked to be removed from classrooms and school libraries.

    Read More

  • Censorship is Not an Effective Way to Protect Children

    1912 Words  | 4 Pages

    Taylor, Charles. "Censorship is Not an Effective Way to Protect Children." n.d. Gale Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 8 April 2012.

    Read More

  • Censorship in Schools

    2166 Words  | 5 Pages

    Issues of censorship in public schools are contests between the exercise of discretion and the exercise of a Constitutional right. The law must reconcile conflicting claims of liberty and authority, as expressed by Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter in Minersville School District v. Gobitis, 1940 in “Banned in the U.S.A.: A Reference Guide to Book Censorship in Schools and Public Libraries” by Herbert N. Foerstel (23).

    Read More

  • Censorship In Schools Essay

    1440 Words  | 3 Pages

    The most debatable and controversial form of censorship today is the banning of books in school libraries. Banning books that educate students is wrong and selfish. Censorship of books in school libraries is neither uncommon nor an issue of the past. Books with artistic and cultural worth are still challenged constantly by those who want to control what others read. The roots of bigotry and illiteracy that fuel efforts to censor books and free expression are unacceptable and unconditional. Censoring school books in libraries can often lead to censorship of our basic freedoms guaranteed in the First Amendment. In some cases, a minority ends up dictating the majority in censorship cases. To be told what is permissible reading material and what is not is a direct violation of the First Amendment of the Constitution.

    Read More

  • Reasons For Banning Fahrenheit 451

    1659 Words  | 4 Pages

    As it is inevitable that children will grow up to be exposed to the world's evils, which are shown in novels like Fahrenheit 451, teaching the context and meaning of those evils in a learning environment allows for more of a educated understanding and a fuller grasp on the issues within. By reading controversial novels in schools, students in middle and high school will benefit tremendously by being exposed to them in a learning environment. Although teachers and parents have control as to what the students are exposed to at a young age, Fahrenheit 451 should not be banned from middle and high schools as it depicts the effects of censorship on a dystopian society through use of controversial material which doubles as

    Read More

  • Censorship in Schools

    3744 Words  | 8 Pages

    Censorship in Schools There has recently been a renewed interest and passion in the issue of censorship. In the realm of the censorship of books in schools alone, several hundred cases have surfaced each year for nearly the past decade. Controversies over which books to include in the high school English curriculum present a clash of values between teachers, school systems, and parents over what is appropriate for and meaningful to students. It is important to strike a balance between English that is meaningful to students by relating to their lives and representing diversity and satisfying worries about the appropriateness of what is read.

    Read More

  • Indoor Environmental Quality

    1585 Words  | 4 Pages

    Measuring the level of users' satisfaction with the features of the physical environment they occupy is a key component of the POE model. This concept started in the 60s and 70s, where surveys were conducted on residents' of social housing satisfaction with their residential environment (Vischer, 1985). The evaluation mainly featured collecting information about occupants feelings and building conditions through questionnaires, interviews, site visits, and field observation. It was then widespread to other facilities such as army barracks, hospitals, prisons, courthouses and hospital (Khalil, 2009). In the 80’s the significant advances in theory, method, strategy and application of post occupation evaluation arouse the interest of both managers and designers and resulted in implementing POE methods also in office buildings (Khalil, 2009). One example of considering POE of workplaces in a systematic manner was the PROBE studies (Post-occupancy Review of Build...

    Read More

  • The Limitations of Societal Growth Established by Censorship in Films

    1278 Words  | 3 Pages

    Thrasher, Frederic M.. "Education Versus Censorship." Journal of Educational Sociology 13.5 (1940): 285 - 306. Web. 2 Mar. 2014.

    Read More

More about The Dangers of Censorship in High School

Open Document