Censorship in American Schools
but to go along” (211). When
I have always loved reading books but the hardest part was finding a well written book that was worth reading
Censorship does not protect,
rather it entices and
infuriates, however education
enables and empowers
students to protect
themselves through their own
choices. Censorship is
defined as examining books,
movies, letters, etc., in order
to remove things that are
considered to be offensive,
immoral, harmful to society,
etc. This definition comes
from the Merriam Webster
Dictionary and gives
examples of materials that
are censored and why. What
it does not include is the
correlation of censorship with
the Bill of Rights. The First
Amendment of the United
States Bill of Rights states,
“Congress shall make no law
respecting...abridging the
freedom of speech, or of the
press[.]” meaning that the
government can not make a
law regulating what can be
written or said in any form.
Every law abiding US Citizen
is given this right no matter
individual age, race or beliefs.
Censorship often takes away
these rights from students.
As the world becomes more
centered around the internet,
parents and teachers have
found it necessary to protect
children by giving school
districts the ability to have
rules against vulgar,
profane,or obscene
information. Censorship in the
United States public schools
has increased over
the last few years. It has
expanded in the numbers and
types of books being
challenged, internet
restrictions (both access and
content), and even what
students are allowed to
verbalize. In a nation where
people are encouraged to
speak out and exercise their
rights, ask questions and
search for resolutions, it is
odd that children in our
schools would feel oppressed
to say and do what they feel
passionate about.
To clarify censorship in
schools it must be understood
that teachers and
administrators make choices
of what to include in their
curriculum and what not to.
Null curriculum is not the
same as censorship. If a
“hostility to the ideas” spurs
the decision to exclude
certain works then that work
is considered censored (The
First Amendment in Schools:
censorship).
Students need to be able to
make decisions on their own
and by educating them it
allows them to realize what
they believe while also
allowing them to recognize
differing opinions. Through a
neutral education students
become aware of
controversial topics and gain
their own opinion especially
when all sides of the
argument are shared through
credible sources. In addition,
parents should assume
responsibility to be informed
on present-day issues as well
as on materials and topics
taught about in class, giving
them the opportunity to
influence their children’s
beliefs on controversial
topics. Parents are often
required to sign forms for
their children granting
permission for the use of
certain movies, books or
topics. Encouraging students
to be aware of history,
cultures, and current events
allows them to form their own
beliefs. Teaching students
how to form their own ideas
through research is a skill that
can only be reached if there
is no censorship.
Restricting students’ access
to any given information
perks their curiosity and
makes them want to find out
more. When students have
an oppressive experience of
censorship they often rebel.
Gabriel Greschler, a reporter
for The Student Press Law
Center, published the story
about Herriman High School’s
The Telegraph being
censored. The students had
posted a story about a
previously employed teacher
who had allegedly texted a
female student
inappropriately and Herriman
High School’s administrators
disabled their website and
removed all the student’s
access. In response to this
censorship the high school
editors posted their article on
a new website called The
Telegram and then through
social media shared their
story. In an environment
where freedom of speech is
widely encouraged, these
students were told that they
were not allowed to share
their opinion. This sent a
message to these students
that “the way to survive is to
not raise question but to go
along.” (Martinson 211)
Every year the United States
dedicates a week to banned
books. Many libraries
participate by setting up
displays of books that have
been banned. This often
draws attention to these
books resulting in students
exploring and reading them. It
is important to keep these
books as no person is forced
to read a book and if they do
not want to check it out then
they do not have to. It is their
own choice.
Censorship leads to
arguments and sometimes
even causes lawsuits. There
are three main cases ruled
upon by the Supreme Court
that changed how the first
amendment has been defined
regarding censorship in public
schools. These cases
are Tinker V. Des Moines
Independent School District,
The Fraser Standard, and The
Hazelwood Standard. Each of
these cases advocated for both
the students as well as the
schools. The Supreme Court’s
decisions seemed to make
censorship more complicated
and difficult. A recent case at
Herriman High School is a
prime example of a student's
response to censorship. After
the school newspaper had
been censored the editor-
in-chief, Max Gordon (a student
at Herriman High), stated “It
has encouraged the staff to
follow and pursue any story
that they want to, controversial
or otherwise.” (qt. By Greshler)
Empowering students to
protect themselves does not
take away rights. Rather as
students gain knowledge it
allows them to improve or
make a change in their lives
and in the world. As censorship
becomes more prevalent
students fail to realize the
importance of being actively
engaged as a citizen
(Martinson 211-214). David
Martinson explained that
students feel “the way to
survive is to not raise question
students are taught facts it does
not cause them to act, instead
the knowledge that they gain
can give them a choice to
choose for themselves. Crystal
Hansen, the head librarian at
Herriman High School,
responded to the question of the
frequency of requests to ban
books. Hansen stated that “there
are things that [people] are
going to be offended by in this
and every library and [they do
not] have to read them” (Noyce).
Censorship does more harm
than good. By infringing on
people's rights it draws curiosity
and angers people, whereas
education gives students the
opportunity to make their own
decisions. Lawsuits and
arguments do no good. Banning
books only increases students
curiosity and pushes them to
retaliate. Educating students
allows them to realize their own
convictions as well as differing
opinions. Empowering students
to protect themselves does not
take away rights, but rather-
helps them to realize the
importance of being involved in
the community and respect
others beliefs.