Banned Books Week
I am sure that many of you have read such classics as “The Catcher in the Rye”, “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”,” The Giver” or any of the Harry Potter books. What you may not be aware of is that these books and long list of others have been banned or are being challenged in school and public libraries across the country. Each the year the American Library Association (ALA) in conjunction with several other organizations, promotes Banned Book Week in an effort to create awareness about an ongoing threat to our free speech and free press rights afforded by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. Banned Books Week is always the last week in September. Many school and public libraries have displays and programs for Banned Books Week. A the university where I used to teach, professors who volunteer to read excerpts from books that have , at one time or another, appeared on the list of banned or challenged books. There is a difference between the two.
A book is considered challenged when a group of parents, or an interest or lobby group, has made a formal request that a book be removed from the shelves of the library. It is then up to the library board to make a decision. A few years ago the book, “Heather has Two Mommies,” drew a great deal of controversy as it dealt with the topic of a lesbian couple raising children.
A banned book is one that has actually been removed from the shelves of a public or school library.
I should point out that a number of my university students used to tell me that when they were in high school as soon as a book was removed from the school library, they would run out an obtain a copy just to see what all of the fuss was about.
For classroom teachers and librarians look for suggestions and ideas for a Banned Books Week program, I would suggest taking a look ate to web sites below. The American Library Association is the lead organization in the Banned Books Week initiative. At their site you will find posters, activities as well as the actual lists of recent banned and challenged books.
http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/bannedbooksweek/index.cfm
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