English Journal - Censorship, Feb 1997

Presents a list of books that were protested/attacked/censored at least three times between 1986 and 1995, culled from the American Library Association’s “Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom.” Discusses the limitations of any survey and standards for censorship.

Examines some of the hazy areas involving censorship and sanctions for teachers who teach censored material or who violate none-too-clear school district rules or procedures. Looks also at clear cases of poor judgement on the part of teachers.

Contains a summary of the events leading to the firing of teacher Cissy Lacks and her successful court battle to win her job back with compensations. Presents Lacks’ own reflections on censorship, discrimination, tenure, publicity, legal representation, and constitutional issues.

Recounts the story of how a teacher in southwestern Virginia was attacked for her decision to order and teach Clyde Edgerton’s “The Floatplane Notebooks,” a book her class chose and voted to purchase.

Examines some of the issues surrounding a school district’s decision to remove Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice from the list of books in the high school English curriculum.

Reviews the events and issues surrounding a parent-driven attempt to ban John Gardener’s “Grendel” from the high school curriculum on the grounds that it would corrupt the young morally.

Reviews a case of censorship of the film “1900” and suggests that teachers and scholars are not prepared to defend the viewing of legitimate and appropriate films against censorship campaigns. Examines the meaning of “community standards” and the relationship to state or national standards.

Recounts events surrounding a superintendent’s decision to confiscate an anthology from a senior English literature course because of a few words in one of the poems.

Reports on results of a teacher’s experiment in book burning as a lesson accompanying the teaching of Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451. Discusses student reactions and the purpose of or justification for the experimental lesson.

Describes how a teacher used Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee’s play “Inherit the Wind,” dealing with the evolution versus creation controversy, as a medium for teaching censorship issues in a Nashville, Tennessee junior high school Language Arts and Literature class.

Describes how a course on censorship taught at an all-girls high school in Tacoma, Washington, drew on current event controversies to initiate discussion. Outlines the course’s four units and uses Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451” to frame course questions.

Contains two articles on writing instruction: the first shows how the prospect of student publishing inspires students to try new forms of writing; the second explains a marking system that encourages students to see the importance of the content in their writing.