2. WHO IS BANNING?
• THE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR BANNING
SUCH GREAT NOVELS ARE ALL DIFFERENT
KINDS OF PEOPLE AND GROUPS THAT HAVE
MANY CONFLICTIONS WITH CERTAIN
CONTENT INSIDE OF THE NOVELS. THESE
GROUPS THEN CHALLENGE THE ALA INTO
PULLING THE BOOK FROM THE SHELVES. ALA
DOESN’T BAN THE BOOKS THOUGH.
3. WHY BAN GOOD READS?
• NOVELS ARE BANNED FOR MANY REASONS. A FEW OF THE
REASONS ARE
SEXUAL CONTENT
GENDER
RACE
RELIGION
ETHNICITY
OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE
THE REASON THESE TOPICS ARE BEING BANNED ARE
BECAUSE THE GROUPS THAT ARE CHALLENGING THESE
NOVELS HAVE THE BEST INTENTIONS FOR THEIR LOVED
ONES. IT IS MOSTLY TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN IN THEIR
LIVES.
5. TODD V. ROCHESTER COMMUNITY
SCHOOLS, 200 N.W.2D 90 (MICH. CT. APP.
1972):
• IN1972 THE COURTS HAD DECIDED TO NOT BAN THE
BOOK SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE.. IN THE CASE OF TODD
VS ROCHESTER COMMUNITY SCHOOL, IT WAS
DECIDED THAT THE DWELLINGS ON WAR, RELIGION,
DEATH, CHRIST, GOD, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS.
SHOULD BE WELCOME TO THE PUBLIC AND IN THE
SCHOOLS.
6. BOARD OF EDUCATION V. PICO, 457 U.S. 853
(1982)
• STARTING IN 1975, ISLAND TREES SCHOOL DISTRICT HAD
ORDERED BOOKS TO BE REMOVED FROM HIGH AND JUNIOR
HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARIES. SOME OF THE BOOKS INCLUDED
BEST SHORT STORIES OF NEGRO WRITERS, GO ASK ALICE
AND THESE MEAN STREETS. THE OUTCOME OF THIS TRIAL
WAS THAT OFFICIALS ORDERED THAT THE STUDENTS HAVE
THE RIGHT TO READ LIBRARY BOOKS EVEN THOUGH THE
SCHOOL OFFICIALS HAVE SIGNIFICANT AUTHORITY BUT
THAT POWER IS NOT ABSOLUTE.
7. CASE V. UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT NO.
233, 908 F.SUPP. 864 (D. KAN. 1995)
• THE OLATHE, KANSAS SCHOOL BOARD WENT TO TRIAL TO
REMOVE THE BOOK ANNIE ON MY MIND FROM
UPPERCLASSMEN READINGS. THE BOOK DESCRIBES A
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TWO TEENAGERS WHO HAPPEN
TO BE LESBIANS. THE SCHOOL BOARD VOTED IT OFF
BECAUSE IT WAS “EDUCATIONALLY UNSUITABLE”.
REGARDLESS OF THIS, THE COURT OVERTURNED THE
BOOK’S REMOVAL BECAUSE THE STUDENTS RIGHT TO
THE 1ST AMENDMENT.
8. MINARCINI V. STRONGSVILLE CITY SCHOOL
DISTRICT, 541 F.2D 577 (6TH CIR. 1976)
• STRONGSVILLE CITY REFUSED TO LET THEIR
STUDENTS READ GREAT NOVELS LIKE, CATCH-22,
GOD LESS YOU MR. ROSEWATER, AND CAT’S CRADLE.
THEY WANTED THEM REMOVED FROM THE LIBRARY
FOR THEIR “OBSURD” CONTENT. THE COURT WOULD
DISAGREE AND CALL THE LIBRARY “A STOREHOUSE
OF KNOWLEDGE” AND THE STUDENTS HAVE THEIR
RIGHT TO READ WHAT THEY WANT.
9. COUNTS V. CEDARVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT,
295 F.SUPP.2D 996 (W.D. ARK. 2003)
• ARKANSAS’S CEDARVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT
VOTED TO RESTRICT STUDENTS’ ACCESS TO THE
HARRY POTTER SERIES CITING THAT THE BOOKS
INCLUDE WITCHCRAFT AND THE OCCULT AND ALSO
ENCOURAGE DISOBEDIENCE AND DISRESPECT FOR
AUTHORITY. THE COURT OVER TURNED THIS ONE
NOTING THE SCHOOL BOARD CAN’T TAKE AWAY A
STUDENT’S RIGHT TO READ BECAUSE THEY
DISAGREE WITH THE CONTENT.
10. MOZERT V. HAWKINS COUNTY BOARD OF
EDUCATION, 827 F.2D 1058 (6TH CIR. 1987)
• PARENTS AND STUDENTS, UPSET ABOUT RELIGIOUS THEMES
BEING TAUGHT IN THE REQUIRED READING OF CLASSES,
BROUGHT THIS ACTION CHALLENGING THE TEXTBOOKS BEING
USED IN CLASS. SPECIFICALLY, THE MENTION OF TELEKINETIC AND
MAGICAL POWERS OFFENDED THE RELIGIOUS BELIEFS OF THE
PARENTS AND THEY FELT THEY HAD A RIGHT TO CHOOSE WHAT
THEIR CHILDREN COULD OR COULD NOT VIEW AND LEARN AT
SCHOOL. THE COURT TOOK THE SIDE OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND
RELAYED THAT THE PARENTS HAVE THEIR OWN RIGHT TO CONVEY
THE MESSAGE HOW THEY WANT.
11. SALVAIL V. NASHUA BOARD OF EDUCATION,
469 F. SUPP. 1269 (D. N.H. 1979):
• “MS MAGAZINE WAS REMOVED FROM A NEW HAMPSHIRE HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY BY ORDER
OF THE NASHUA SCHOOL BOARD. THE U.S. DISTRICT COURT DECIDED FOR THE STUDENT,
TEACHER, AND ADULT RESIDENTS WHO HAD BROUGHT ACTION AGAINST THE SCHOOL
BOARD, THE COURT CONCLUDING: "THE COURT FINDS AND RULES THAT THE DEFENDANTS
HEREIN HAVE FAILED TO DEMONSTRATE A SUBSTANTIAL AND LEGITIMATE GOVERNMENT
INTEREST SUFFICIENT TO WARRANT THE REMOVAL OF MS MAGAZINE FROM THE NASHUA
HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY. THEIR ACTION CONTRAVENES THE PLAINTIFFS' FIRST AMENDMENT
RIGHTS, AND AS SUCH IT IS PLAINLY WRONG.“”
HTTP://WWW.ALA.ORG/ADVOCACY/INTFREEDOM/CENSORSHIPFIRSTAMENDMENTISSUES/
COURTCASES
12. SUND V. CITY OF WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS, 121
F. SUPP. 2D 530 (N.D. TEXAS, 2000):
• CHURCH MEMBERS SOUGHT REMOVAL OF THE NOVEL
HEATHER HAS TWO MOMMIES AND DADDY’S
ROOMMATE.THEY HAD DISAPPROVED OF THE
HOMOSEXUALITY IN THE BOOK. ANOTHER GROUP
PROTESTED THAT THE BOOK BE SOLELY IN THEADULT
SECTION. FOLLOWING A TRIAL ON THE MERITS, THE
DISTRICT COURT PERMANENTLY ENJOINED THE CITY
FROM ENFORCING THE RESOLUTION PERMITTING THE
REMOVAL OF THE TWO BOOKS..
14. GENDER
• BALLERINONATE BY KIMBERLY BRUBAKER BRADLEY. 2006
• SOMETIMES THE SPOON RUNS AWAY WITH ANOTHER SPOON COLORING BOOK BY JACINTA BUNNELL.
2010
• OLIVER BUTTON IS A SISSY BY TOMIE DEPAOLA. 1979
• I LOOK LIKE A GIRLBY SHELIA HAMANAKA. 1999
15. SEXUALITY
• THE BLUEST EYE, BY TONI MORRISON
• IT’S PERFECTLY NORMAL, BY ROBIE HARRIS
• SAGA, BY BRIAN VAUGHAN AND FIONA STAPLES
• A STOLEN LIFE, BY JAYCEE DUGARD
16. RACE
• OF MICE AND MEN, BY JOHN STEINBECK
• TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD,BY HARPER LEE
• THE LORD OF THE FLIES, BY WILLIAM GOLDING
17. ETHNICITY
• SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE, BY KURT VONNEGUT
• THE HUNGER GAMESTRILOGY, BY SUZANNE COLLINS
• AND TANGO MAKES THREE, BY JUSTIN RICHARDSON AND PETER PARNELL
18. RELIGION
• THE GOLDEN COMPASS, BY PHILIP PULLMAN
• IT'S PERFECTLY NORMAL: CHANGING BODIES, GROWING UP, SEX, AND SEXUAL HEALTH, BY ROBIE H.
HARRIS
• HARRY POTTER, BY J.K. ROWLING
• FIFTY SHADES OF GREY, BY E.L. JAMES
19. POLITICAL
• BONE (SERIES), BY JEFF SMITH
• NICKEL AND DIMED, BY BARBARA EHRENREICH
• HIS DARK MATERIALSTRILOGY, BY PHILIP PULLMAN
• ARMING AMERICA: THE ORIGINS OF A NATIONAL GUN CULTURE, BY MICHAEL A. BELLESILES
20. OBSCENITIES
• CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS(SERIES), BY DAV PILKEY
• WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN'T KNOW, BY SONYA SONES
• I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS, BY MAYA ANGELOU
• FALLEN ANGELS, BY WALTER DEAN MYERS
21. VIOLENCE
• BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA, BY KATHERINE PATERSON
• SCARY STORIES (SERIES),BY ALVIN SCHWARTZ
• TWILIGHT, BY STEPHENIE MEYER
• MY SISTER'S KEEPER,BY JODI PICOULT
22. WITCHCRAFT
• BLESS ME ULTIMA, BY RUDOLFO ANAYA
• HARRY POTTER (SERIES), BY J.K. ROWLING
• BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA, BY KATHERINE PATERSON
• SCARY STORIES (SERIES), BY ALVIN SCHWARTZ
