Offensive and Dangerous Words

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Freedom to Read Poster 1988







The NY Times reports that a Newbery-award winning book is facing widespread banning from school libraries because of one word.

Speaking of Newberys, Bridge to Terabithia opened this weekend. Read an interview about censorship with author Katherine Paterson.

The Daily Press & Argus reports that the Howell Board of Education voted 5-2 to allow teachers to assign The Freedom Writers Diary, Black Boy, and The Bluest Eye to advanced English classes. School Board member Wendy Day who voted for the ban states she has filed a form to ask for an official review of the Morrison book.

Update: The Conservative Media Blog reports that banners are still "howelling" in Howell, MI. The Daily Press and Argus reports that some parents are taking the battle to the courts, claiming that books on the curriculum break pornography laws. Stay tuned. It isn't over yet.

Librarian Kathryn Greenhill, the Australian blogger of Librarians Matter mulls over the pros and cons of having a book in a university library that tells one how to kill oneself.

Your Comments

Bridge to Terabithia

"I think this book was banned or challenged because it deals with the loss of a child. People may feel that for a child who is reading the book, it is too heavy of a situation for a child's book."

Bridge to Terabithia has been dealt with in a previous post and another previous post. Look there for reasons why the book has been banned.

For more about Katherine Paterson, visit her official web site.