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2000-2001 Books Challenged Or Banned 2000-2001 Books Challenged or Banned Robert P. Doyle The Lorax J.K. Rowling kurt Vonnegut kurt Lois Lowry Capt. Underpants Maya Angelou Maya Mickey Judy Blume Mark Twain Mark Sponsored by the American Booksellers Association the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression Endorsed by the American Library Association the Center for the Book of the American Society of Journalists and Authors the Library of Congress the Association of American Publishers Books Challenged or Banned in 2000—2001 Banned Books Week 2001 is the twentieth annual celebra- nings, where a book is removed from the shelves of a tion of the freedom to read. This freedom, not only to library or bookstore or from the curriculum at a school. choose what we read but also to be able to select from a Attempts to censor lead to voluntary curtailment of expres- full array of possibilities, is firmly rooted in the First sion by those who seek to avoid controversy, a situation as Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees critical as an actual banning, since in these cases the mate- freedom of speech and freedom of press. Even as we revel rial may not be published or may not be purchased by a in the increasing quantity and availability of information and bookstore, library, or school district. reading material, we must maintain vigilance to assure that access to this material is preserved. Threats against the We have reason to be especially celebratory this year. Due freedom to read still exist and come from all quarters and all to the commitment of parents, students, librarians, teachers, political persuasions. Quite simply, censors are those who and other concerned citizens, more and more of the chal- try to limit the freedom of others to choose what they read, lenges are unsuccessful, and the reading material remains see, or hear, even if the motivation for the restriction is well- available. intentioned. It should be noted that this bibliography is incomplete Sex, profanity, and racism remain the primary categories of because many prohibitions against free speech and expres- objections, and most incidents occur in schools and school sion remain undocumented. Surveys indicate approximately libraries. Frequently, challenges are motivated by the desire 85 percent of the challenges to library materials receive no to protect children. While the cause is noble and commend- media attention and remain unreported. Moreover, this list is able, this method of protection contains hazards far greater limited to books and does not include challenges to maga- than exposure to the “evil” against which the protection is zines, newspapers, films, broadcasts, plays, performances, leveled. Supreme Court Justice William Brennan, in Texas electronic publications, or exhibits. v. Johnson, said, “If there is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment, it is that the Government may not pro- This bibliography represents books challenged, restricted, hibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds removed, or banned in 2000—2001 as reported in the the idea itself offensive or disagreeable.” Individuals may Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom from May 2000 through restrict what they themselves or their children read, but they March 2001. must not call on governmental or public agencies to prevent others from reading or seeing that material. The challenges documented in this list are not just someone expressing a point of view regarding these materials; rather, the challengers have asked that the material be removed from the school curriculum or library, thus restricting Banned Books access to it by others. Even when the eventual 2001 Resource Book outcome allows the has an entire section book to stay on the library shelves, and devoted to ideas, activities, even when the incident and resources to help edu- is a lone protester, the censorship attempt is cate the public and protect real. Someone has our fragile First tried to restrict another person’s ability to Amendment rights. See choose. Challenges back page for more are as important to doc- ument as actual ban- details. Books Challenged Avi. The Fighting Ground. Harper; Lippincott. negatively portrays the Islamic religion and or Banned in Retained as part of the John Fuller School Arabs. The book is on the Iowa Teen Award 2000—2001 curriculum in Conway, N.H. (2000), despite a list. Source: May 2000, p. 77; Jan. 2001, p. complaint by a resident calling himself a con- 35. Books challenged, restricted, removed, or cerned Christian. Source: Jan. 2001, p. 37; banned in 2000—2001 as reported in the Mar. 2001, p. 75. Cormier, Robert. After the First Death. Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom from Pantheon. Challenged, but retained in the May 2000 through March 2001. Bauer, Marion Dane, ed. Am I Blue?: Manchester, Conn. curriculum (2000) despite Coming out from the Silence. HarperCollins. charges that the book is “offensively graphic Allende, Isabel. The House of the Spirits. Challenged, but retained at the Fairfield, Iowa in its descriptions of violence, terrorism, and Knopf; Bantam. Retained on the summer Middle School and High School libraries suicidal thoughts.” Challenged, but retained reading lists for honors high school students (2000) despite objections to sexually explicit on the Liberty High School ninth-grade gifted at the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District, passages, including a sexual encounter and talented reading list in Fauquier, Va. Calif. (2000) despite objections that the book between two girls. Source: Mar. 2000, p. 62; (2000). Opponents of the book charged that is “immoral and sexually depraved.” Source: May 2000, p. 91. it was too violent and treated suicide in a Nov. 2000, p. 195; Mar. 2001, p. 76. cavalier manner. Other parents cited inappro- Block, Francesca Lia. Baby Be-Bop. priate sexual content or gender stereotyping. Allington, Richard. Once Upon A Hippo. HarperCollins. Removed from the mandatory Source: May 2000, p. 92; Sept. 2000, p. Scott, Foresman. Challenged, but retained in reading program at the Norman L. Sullivan 145. the Gwinnett County, Ga. schools (2000). A Middle School in Bonsall, Calif. (2000) due to parent challenged the title because of a refer- sexually explicit language. Source: May _______. Beyond the Chocolate War. Knopf. ence to a character called Ngai, described as 2000, p. 76. Retained as optional reading for eighth the “god of everything and everywhere.” graders at Rice Avenue Middle School in Source: May 2000, pp. 76-77; July 2000, p. Bloom, Harold, ed. Modern Critical Girard, Pa. (2000). A grandmother found the 124. Views: James Baldwin. Chelsea House book offensive and didn’t want her grand- Pubs. Removed in the Southern Columbia daughters reading it. Source: May 2000, p. Alvarez, Julia. In the Time of the School District in Elysburg, Pa. (2000) 92. Butterflies. Algonquin; Plume. Withdrawn because of concerns about sexual references from inclusion at the Paul D. Schreiber High and foul language in a single passage. _______. The Chocolate War. Dell; Pantheon. School in Port Washington, N.Y. (2000) Source: July 2000, p. 104. Challenged in York County, Va. (2000) due to because of a drawing of a homemade bomb. sexually explicit language. Retained as The text preceding and following the hand- Capote, Truman. In Cold Blood: A True optional reading for eighth graders at Rice written diagram does not provide details or Account of a Multiple Murder and its Avenue Middle School in Girard, Pa. (2000). instructions. The novel was nominated for Consequences. Modern Library; Random; A grandmother found the book offensive and the National Book Critics Circle Award in Vintage; G.K. Hall; Transaction. Banned, but didn’t want her granddaughters reading it. 1995 and named a Best Book for Young later reinstated after community protests at Challenged on the eighth-grade reading list Adults by the American Library Association. the Windsor Forest High School in of the Lancaster, Mass. School District Source: Jan. 2001, pp. 13-14. Savannah, Ga. (2000). The controversy (2000), due to the book’s language and con- began in early 1999 when a parent com- tent. Challenged at a Beaver Local Board of Angelou, Maya. I Know Why the Caged plained about sex, violence, and profanity in Education meeting in Lisbon, Ohio (2001) as Bird Sings. Bantam. Challenged on the the book that was part of an advanced place- a “pornographic” book that should be Poolesville High School, Md. (2000) reading ment English class. Source: Mar. 2001, p. removed from high school English classes. list due to the book’s sexual content and lan- 76. Source: May 2000, pp. 78, 92; Sept. 2000, guage. Source: Nov. 2000, p. 196. pp. 144-45; Mar. 2001, pp. 43, 57. Cody, Robin. Ricochet River. Knopf. Anonymous. Go Ask Alice. Avon; Prentice- Retained by the West Linn-Wilsonville School _______. We All Fall Down. Dell. Restricted in Hall. Retained as optional reading for eighth Board in Wilsonville, Oreg. (2000) despite Arlington, Tex. middle and high schools to graders at Rice Avenue Middle School in objections that the book contains explicit students who have written parental permis- Girard, Pa. (2000). A grandmother found the depictions of teenage sexual encounters sion, due to concerns over violent content. book offensive because it contains “filth and without explanation of the consequences. Removed from the Carver Middle School smut” that she didn’t want her granddaugh- Source: Jan. 2001, p. 36. library in Leesburg, Fla. (2000) after parents ters reading. Source: May 2000, p. 92. complained about the book’s content and lan- Conroy, Pat. The Lords of Discipline. guage. Challenged in the Tamaqua, Pa. Area Anthony, Piers. Question Quest. Morrow. Bantam. Banned, but later reinstated after School District (2001) because the book Removed from the mandatory reading pro- community protests at the Windsor Forest “might not be appropriate for younger school- gram at the Norman L.
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