Banning Books TE 348 Application Assignment

1. Banning BooksTE 348 Application Assignment Angela Calcaterra Natalie Emro Megan Gardella Aimee Roy

2. Our Objective Research Question Research • What effects does banning literature in secondary education (ie: high school) have on students? • Should certain books be banned? Why or why not? • What can we, as future teachers and parents, do to address these issues? • Uncover the short term lingering effects of banning classic literature • The Great Gatsby • Catcher in the Rye • Discuss reasons why these books are banned • Discuss the effects on secondary education students and their views on the books

3. Course Theme “Banning of Literature” The following course readings exemplify some of the issues that can be seen in young adult literature: • “Why the Best Kid Books are Written in Blood” • This article sparked out interest in the value of not banning any type of literature • “Darkness too Visible” • This article upset us because it showed the ignorance of some biased adults on children’s literature • Joy of Children’s Literature, “Chapter 7” • This chapter provided a section with information on what teachers can do to handle challenges to children’s books

4. Background Information • We chose to research this topic because we want to: • Expose ourselves to the realities of banning literature in secondary education • Show the relationship between banning literature and how it affects student’s outlooks on reading • Be able to make informed decisions on banning literature as future parents and teachers • Be able to deal with issues involving banned literature that arise from other parents, staff, and students

5. History of Banned Literature • Originated in the 13 Colonies • Books were banned for many of the same reasons they are banned today such as; profanity, religion, and sexuality • The Meritorious Price of Our Redemption by William Pynchon (founder of Springfield, Mass.)

6. Our books and why are they banned? The Great Gatsby The Catcher in the Rye • Profanity • Sexual References • Violence • Adultery • Lying • Deceit • Anti-white • Violence • Profanity • Prostitution • Sexual exploits • Alcohol abuse

7. Specific Examples The Great Gatsby The Catcher in the Rye • Tom Buchanan is at a party with Mrs. Wilson who is having an affair with him and she starts taunting him about his wife Daisy and in response, "Making a short deft movement, Tom Buchanan broke [Mrs. Wilson's] nose with his open hand."  -Chapter 2. • “I found out what your ‘drug stores’ were.” He turned to us and spoke rapidly. “He and this Wolfshiem bought up a lot of side-street drug-stores here and in Chicago and sold grain alcohol over the counter. That’s one of his little stunts. I picked him for a bootlegger the first time I saw him, and I wasn’t far wrong.”-Chapter 7. • “I sort of closed one eye, like I was taking aim at it. “This is a people shooting hat,” I said. “I shoot people in this hat.”-Chapter 3. • "Sex is something I really don't understand too hot.  You never know where the hell you are.  I keep making these sex rules for myself, and then I break them right away.  Last year I made a rule that I was going to quit horsing around with girls that, deep down, gave me a pain in the ass.  I broke it, though, the same week I made it- the same night, as a matter of fact."- Chapter 9.

8. Effects on Secondary Education Students • Student who experienced banning of both reads: • “They were banned at my school but I don’t know why. I never read them after that” • Student from a private school where neither were banned: • “I read both. I don’t remember any parents, teachers, or students discussing any inappropriateness in these books. I don’t really understand why they were banned.” • Students from a public school where neither were banned: • "It didn't do anything to me, I thought it was stupid that people thought they were inappropriate. We read both of those books though." • General opinion: • "I don't believe that school officials rightfully can ban books and limit student's knowledge. It is up to the parents of what they would like their children exposed to."

9. Short Term Effects of Banning Books • Violates students First Amendment Rights of Freedom of Speech • Angers people who want to read the books • Hides issues that may be important to students’ educations • Hides issues that individual students may be currently dealing with • Can make students resistant to reading • Can make students more compelled to read banned books

10. Top 3 Reasons for Banning • The material was considered to be "sexually explicit" • The material contained "offensive language" • The materials was "unsuited to any age group” • (Reported to the Office of Intellectual Freedom (ALA))

11. Why Shouldn't they be Banned? • Infringes freedom of expression from the First Amendment • Language and content are not something teenagers have not heard or experienced before • Provides teenagers with a chance to identify themselves with the characters and stories • There are important lessons to be learned from the books

12. Banned Books Week • Created in 1982 and is held September 30 - October 6 • BBW will be occurring again this upcoming year and following years to come • "If librarians, teachers, and booksellers across the country use Banned Books Week each year to teach the importance of our First Amendment rights and the power of literature, and to draw attention to the danger that exists when restraints are imposed on the availability of information in a free society."

14. Applications • Our argument: It is not appropriate to ban books within the classroom because it infringes on the student's freedom of learning. • What we as teachers/parents can do: • Advocate a no banning policy within districts • Educate students, parents, and peers about the effects of banning literature • Be open to communicate with concerned parents and staff about questioned content (be willing to make alternative plans) -Prepare a school policy statement -Adopt a formal complaint procedure

15. Sources • "About Banned & Challenged Books." ALA. Web. 23 Apr. 2012. <http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/aboutbannedbooks>. • Alexi, Sherman. "Why the Best Kid Books Are Written in Blood." Wall Street Journal (2011). Angel. Web. 23 Apr. 2012. • "Banned And/or Challenged Books from the Radcliffe Publishing Course Top 100 Novels of the 20th Century." ALA. Web. 23 Apr. 2012. <http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=bbwlinks>. • "Banned Books Week." Banned Books Week. American Booksellers Association, American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, American Library Association, American Society of Journalists and Authors, Association of American Publishers, Freedom to Read Foundation, National Association of College Stores, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, National Coalition Against Censorship, National Council of Teachers of English, and PEN American Center. Web. 23 Apr. 2012. <http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/>. • Cameron, Stacey. "KCTV5 Investigates Book Banning: Parents vs. Public Schools." KCTV. 8 Nov. 2011. Web. 23 Apr. 2012. <http://www.kctv5.com/story/15992153/kctv5-investigates-book-banning-parents-v-public-schools>. • Fitzgerald, Francis Scott. The Great Gatsby. Harmondsworth (RoyaumeUni): Penguin, 1950. Print. • Gurdon, Meghan C. "Darkness Too Visible." The Wall Street Journal (2011). Angel. Web. 23 Apr. 2012. • Johnson, Denise. "Chapter 7." The Joy of Children's Literature. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Pub, 2009. 196-98. Print. • Jones, Kristina. "Banned Book: The Catcher in the Rye." Yahoo! Contributor Network. 7 May 2011. Web. 23 Apr. 2012. <http://voices.yahoo.com/banned-book-catcher-rye-224799.html>. • Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 1951. Print.