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Censorship - Book Challenges, Challenging Books, and Young Readers

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Censorship - Book Challenges, Challenging Books, and Young Readers

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This week's chapter is all about the topic of censorship. What is censorship? Why is it pursued? How is the process carried out? Does it achieve it's goals? The author, Christine A. Jenkins, gives detailed answers to these questions, which I will try to relate to you here. Please feel free to comment and discuss as we explore the complicated issue of censorship.

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Christine Jenkins defines censorship as "the removal, suppression, or restricted circulation of literary, artistic, or educational materials--of images, ideas, and information--on the grounds that theses are morally or otherwise objectionable in light of standards applied by the censor." What this means, simply put, is that censoring is when a person tries to restrict access to a piece of information due to it being considered inappropriate or harmful to the consumer of said information. For written material this action can take many forms. Censoring can be as simple as moving a challenged book to a different section of the library, changing the accepted age range for checking out the work, or putting it into a restricted access area where one would need special permission to access it. Redacting and editing the work to remove the challenged parts is a more hard line form of censorship. Outright banning the work is the most extreme form of censorship. Jenkins goes on to explain that the act of not selecting a book for inclusion in a library due solely to the selector's thought that the book might be controversial or challenged is itself a form of censorship that many teachers and librarians are unaware they are committing. Has there ever been a time when you or someone you know censored a work in this way? What book was in question and why/how did they make their decision on it?

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Perhaps the chief purpose of this week's chapter is to explore the 'why' of children's literature being censored in the United States. The answer eventually developed by the author is two-fold. But before I can explain the reasons you must first understand that the public's call to censor material, especially for children, is omnipresent throughout history. It has and always will be a factor any librarian must contend with. The reason why it remains a factor is because the call to censor material nearly always aligns with a greater political/societal agenda. During the 1950's people wanted books perceived as pro-Russian censored due to America's involvement in the Cold War. In the 1960's books perceived to depict racial equality and civil rights were often called into question due to the Civil Rights Movement. And in the 1990's books seen as showing magic and witchcraft were challenged due in part to the 'satanic panic' sweeping though the culture of the time. Many of these works are no longer given a second glance, such as Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, Ilenka, and Harry Potter. However, at the time these books were seen as dangerous to the vulnerable minds of the children that they were aimed at. And, generally speaking, that is the biggest reason why children's books are censored--people feel they are targeting the unsuspecting, vulnerable youth with harmful or culturally unacceptable agendas. Censorship is largely just an extension of larger cultural battlegrounds such as racism, sexism, gay rights, and many others. The question Jenkins attempts to answer is whether or not censorship of children's literature has any effect at all. Does it fulfill it's promise of 'protecting' young minds from dangerous, often seen as radicalizing, thought? Have you ever given (or withheld) a censored/challenged work to your class? Explain both the rationale and the side effects of your choice.

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Besides just political and social battles, there are a few other common reasons books are called to be censored. These are sexual explicitness, age-inappropriate language/behavior, and disrespect of authority. These issues are less topical and more practical than the previously mentioned moral quandaries. Although what is considered "acceptable" has changed throughout history, generally keeping books age-appropriate is a goal most librarians/teachers strive toward. Have you ever encountered a book you felt was age-inappropriate for your class/child despite it being deemed acceptable? Explain your thought process and decision making in that situation.

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After exploring the what, and the why of censoring work, the question becomes 'How'. How does a person challenge a book, and what happens if you as a teacher face such a dispute? The process begins with a single complaint. Generally a person will find some objectionable material within a child's book and raise their voice in protest. At this point no official action is necessary. However, if the person gains enough support a formal challenge to the book can be created. At this point a choice must be made. Either the librarian censors the work in some way, or the librarian must go through their censorship process. This process differs depending on the system you are a part of but generally includes a public hearing of some kind such as a school board meeting. Both sides of the issue are heard and a decision is handed down. The librarian will adhere to this decision regardless of their own personal views, not unlike a defense lawyer involved in a court case. Have you ever had to face a challenge or complaint about a piece of literature you made available to your class? What was the problem and how did you respond to the situation?

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The final question addressed in the chapter is whether or not censorship achieves it's goals. Does it work? Is it useful? Many research studies have been conducted and Jenkins explains that there are four essential underlying beliefs that support the censoring of children's literature.

1. Reading changes people
2. Specific content predicts a specific response
3. One reader's response predicts another reader's response.
4. Censoring material diminishes interest in said material.

Current research debunks each and every one of these theories.

1. Reading does not provide a significant change in world view or behavior. Parent, school, and peer interaction vastly outweigh the minuscule effects of books.
2. Readers respond to text content depending on many factors including social status, developmental level, and background knowledge. In short, readers who encounter 'questionable content' very well may not even perceive it (For instance Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, a book set in a world with only animals, was censored because the police were depicted as pigs. However, the controversial aspect of this detail went unnoticed by children who did not have the sufficient social context to comprehend it).
3. Readers are individuals. One person will respond completely differently than another to a single book. Indeed there are many factors which contribute to anyone's particular interpretation of a work, and thus a reader's response to a given work is wholly unpredictable.
4.  Removing or restricting material heightens interest among the target audience and can increase overall cultural impact.

The final thesis posited by Jenkins is that books are static entities in an ever changing cultural and social system. They are interpreted differently by different people, and can be twisted and morphed to fit many ideologies and theories. In her words "That book...is a mirror. It reflects the worries, the fears, the anger, and the concerns, of each individual who looks into it. We look at a book, but what we see is ourselves."

What are your thoughts on Jenkins's findings? Do you agree that censoring is generally ineffective in it's goals? Do any of the research findings surprise you? Share your thoughts/experiences  on censorship here.

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If you have any questions regarding the content of this chapter share them here and I will attempt to answer them. Thanks for reading!