Another book censorship case, read on?

Question

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-flpbooks10pnjul10,0,3149535.story?coll=sfla-news-palm

Quote from the article from Ms. Lopez :
"I know that the Constitution says freedom of speech, but what about my freedom as a parent to not want [my children] to read about abortion and homosexuality in their school library."

Ms. Lopez can do whatever she likes with her own children, but they are not the only ones who use that school library. What about the other children? She will be infringing upon the rights of other children and their parents by removing those books.


It's one thing to decide what you will let your children read. It's wrong to try and make that decision for other people's children.

James-the books she wants removed are from the Opposing Viewpoints series, meaning that they discuss all of these issues from different perspectives, including the right. Trust me, I've read these books and they give balanced viewpoints.

Parents have the right to be vigilant about what 'their' children will see. Their children, not other people's children.

Herodotus-an interesting viewpoint, yes, but no one's child is being forced to read these books. The article doesn't state that they are on a required reading list. It merely states that they are on the shelves.

Answer 1

~sigh~

Here we go again. Parents who want to impose their own personal views about what's appropriate for *their* kids on the rest of the world.

It's inappropriate, it's outrageous, and it's not the way to deal with the possibility that her kids may read things she doesn't like them to read.

The books are in the school library, they are not part of a curriculum.

No one is going to hold a gun to those kids' heads and require them to read the books.

Answer 2

People want to censor it because they already know that a 4 year old isn't going to see the N word in Huckleberry Finn as easily as they would hear it on a rap. Kids who can't even read are going around singing about clubbing and drinking and singing the N word. Parents assume kids wouldn't know that if the song hadn't come on the radio. Not too many 4 year olds have picked up a classic book and started reading it or getting bad examples from it. At the age when kids are required to read those books, they are capable of understanding what they are reading and the word is surrounded by a well put together story. Discussions are held in school about the books and their meanings. No one ever holds a discussion about "brush my teeth with a bottle of jack" (kesha song) with a bunch of 7 year olds who hear it in the car. As far as the context, listen to the music and read the books you are refferring to and you will see the difference. Oh I forgot to add the part that will get me all the thumbs down: I don't agree with censorship unless it's in a public place. I don't care if they do say a "bad" word on the radio. People do have a choice: It's called either enjoy it or change the damn station. Ban it in YOUR car, not mine.

Answer 3

OK, here is the deal. Freedom of speech is also freedom from speech. It also implies the right of a citizen not to be made to speak in a manner contrary to there will. You will find that is why, say oaths of corporate allegiances, are not allowed to be mandatory.

Public schools are a public voice, this is the constitutional grounds that these arguments are being pursued on.

I find this a more complicated issue than simple censorship, as the freedom from speech is a very real bulwark of our civil rights.

Answer 4

The problem with your logic is where do you draw the line. Would you include pornography, fundamentalist extremism and bomb making instruction books as well in your library so that children have "freedom" to read those as well? Parents need to be ever vigilant as to what is appropriate for their children to see. We rate movies and video games why not books as well. All censorship is not bad. too much freedom is. Wouldn't it be better to err on the side of caution and rate these subjects "PG" or "R" so when a child is little they are protected and have them in the high schools for more mature readers to look at? That's my opinion

Answer 5

As a christian parent I would educate my children about these issues and tell them our view point rather than to shelter them.

Censorship is a complex issue, like the banning of Satanic Verses. You need to carefully weight the pros and cons but as a general rule if it does not disrupt racial and religious harmony then it is acceptable.

Answer 6

That is so ridiculous. I'm against the banning of any book. If she doesn't want her children to be informed, that's her problem. She needs to tell them not to read them. Forbidding something is the biggest lure. I don't know that I would have picked them up on my own, but if someones parent had been up whining about them, that would have been my incentive to read them. She needs to actually parent.

Answer 7

Just another person who has forgotten that it isn't all about her and that, if she were a good parent, her children would know which books to leave on the shelf.

How many times do we have to go through this before people get it through their heads that we're not going to cater to the crazies?

Answer 8

Can children find books in their school libraries that argue why abortion is evil and why homoerotic acts are unnatural? I doubt it.
The censorship is more on the side of the Left in public schools.
Have you ever worked in or with a public school system?

Answer 9

People like her make me sick