CBLDF Defender #3
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BACK TO SCHOOL with COMICS! CREATORS ON CENSORSHIP! RAINA SPEAKS OUT! MAD VS. THE FBI! Issue 3 Fall 2015 Director’s Note Ask anyone with a little gray hair what comics they brought to school as a kid, and you’ll hear plenty of stories that end in tears. It wasn’t so long ago that bringing comics to class was met with disapproval, confiscation, or worse. In “Back to School with Comics” on page 12, Betsy Gomez shows how the world has changed, with comics now being part of the curriculum in many states. But, as the rest of our issue demonstrates, there are still STAFF far too many incidents of censorship affecting comics in schools. Charles Brownstein, Executive Director Alex Cox, Deputy Director First up, we return to New Mexico, where a final verdict has been rendered in “The Cu- Samantha Johns, Development Manager rious Case of Palomar.” Months after CBLDF spoke out for Gilbert Hernandez’s critical- Kate Jones, Office Manager Betsy Gomez, Editorial Director ly acclaimed graphic novel, it is back in the library at Rio Rancho High School, with the Maren Williams, Contributing Editor caveat that students under 18 need a parent’s signature to check it out. Correspondence Caitlin McCabe, Contributing Editor uncovered by a FOIA request reveals that the situation could have been much worse: Robert Corn-Revere, Legal Counsel The book was almost removed without regard for district policy or the First Amendment. Maren Williams tells the tale on page 3. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Larry Marder, President The summer was full of book censorship, but no story was stranger than an attempted Milton Griepp, Vice President ban on four graphic novels at Crafton Hills College in Yucaipa, California. 20-year-old Jeff Abraham, Treasurer student Tara Shultz and her parents protested the inclusion of Fun Home, Persepolis, Y: Dale Cendali, Secretary Jennifer L. Holm The Last Man, and Sandman in an elective graphic novel course, demanding the school Reginald Hudlin place a disclaimer on the course if the books couldn’t be “eradicated from the system.” Katherine Keller Read more about this case and other recent censorship news starting on page 4. Paul Levitz Christina Merkler Raina Telgemeier took time out of her busy summer to talk about her reaction to the Chris Powell controversy surrounding her graphic novel Drama, which was the tenth most frequently Jeff Smith challenged book of 2014. In “Dramatic Reading,” starting on page 6, she reveals what it’s ADVISORY BOARD like to be one of the most banned authors in America, why she thinks LGBT content is so Neil Gaiman & Denis Kitchen, Co-Chairs important, and how she creates her stories. Alison Bechdel, Neil Gaiman, Frank Miller, Susan Alston Alan Moore, Ariel Schrag, Jeff Smith, and Marjane Satrapi join Telgemeier in providing Matt Groening their perspectives on facing censorship in “Fighting Words,” starting on page 8. Chip Kidd Jim Lee Perhaps no other magazine received more scorn in American classrooms than Mad, but Frenchy Lunning teachers weren’t the only people up in arms over its content. “When the FBI Got MAD,” Frank Miller Louise Nemschoff on page 10, reveals how J. Edgar Hoover’s Agency scrutinized the magazine, including Mike Richardson a visit to their offices in 1957. William Schanes Finally, CBLDF’s own D.A. Cox gives a tour of the 2015 CBLDF Liberty Annual, a José Villarrubia Bob Wayne loving tribute to the bygone era of American satire magazines, featuring some of comics’ Peter Welch funniest creators. Details on how to get your copy are on page 14, along with all the latest CBLDF premiums we’ve gathered to thank you for your support! CREDITS Betsy Gomez, Designer and Editor —Charles Brownstein, Executive Director Charles Brownstein, Contributor Alex Cox, Contributor Caitlin McCabe, Contributor Maren Williams, Contributor CBLDF thanks our Guardian Members: Defender logo designed by Brian Wood. Cover art by Matthew Loux. James Wood Bailey, Grant Geissman, Philip Harvey, Joseph H. King, and Midwest Comic Book Association. CBLDF is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization. Donations are tax- deductible to the fullest extent allowed CBLDF’s education program made possible with the generous support of by law in the year they are given. ©2015 Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and the Gaiman Foundation and supporters like you! respective authors. Corporate Members TM ThE CURIOUS CaSE OF include specific information as to author, title, publisher, and After a FOIA request, emails show that definite citation of objection. administrators in the Rio Rancho school Ironically, Palomar likely would have been quietly removed district were woefully unacquainted from the Rio Rancho High School collection without CBLDF with—or willing to completely ignore— ever hearing about it—except that Lopez also took the story to their district’s challenge policies, not to local TV station KOAT, which aired a ludicrously biased news mention basic First Amendment rights. report, calling the book “sexual, graphic, and not suitable for chil- dren.” CBLDF covered KOAT’s report on February 27, citing the Although we got word that Palomar by Gilbert Hernandez would school’s challenge policy and urging RRPS to follow it. be returning to high school library shelves in Rio Rancho, New When the district email thread picked up again a week later, Mexico, after a parent’s challenge was resolved, a report from top administrators had become very concerned with following Albuquerque radio station KUNM indicates that things may not the challenge policy, which entails forming a review committee be so straightforward. School district emails obtained via FOIA to consider the book. Associate Superintendent of Curriculum and request show that the book was removed from the computerized Instruction Carl Leppelman wrote on March 5: library catalog well before a review committee decided it should I am requesting that a committee be convened as soon as not be banned from the high school collection. possible to review the book and make a recommendation to The emails released to KUNM reporter Rita Daniels begin with [Superintendent] Dr. Cleveland. Please follow policy 425A. a February 26 message from Rio Rancho High School librarian There is normally a form (425b) completed by the person who is challenging the book. It is not prudent to have the Brenna McCandless to principal Richard Von Ancken. McCand- form completed. Instead, contact [RRHS Vice Principal] Sher- less reports that parent Catrenna Lopez came to the school library rie Carver and she will give you the specifics of the concern to register a complaint about Palomar, which was added to the col- prior to meeting as a committee. lection by a previous librarian. McCandless gives her assessment: Seeing as the book had already been deleted from the system— The content is quite adult. The parent has the book at the in violation of policy, of course—Leppelman’s directive was moment, but I’ve already removed it from the collection met with general confusion from Carver and Executive Director because it’s definitely not something we should have… of Secondary Curriculum and Instruction LaJuana Coleman. On I attempted to find some reviews just to see why it might have been included and the only thing we could find was a March 6, Coleman asked: review from Library Journal that stated it was “Highly recom- Can you clarify why a committee needs to be formed? It mended, especially for libraries with Latino populations,” so appears that the book is off the shelf, answers have been that might have been the justification for purchase. I already provided and case closed, unless I am missing something. spoke with the mother and let her know I shared her concern Carver also expressed doubt that a committee was necessary, and thanked her for bringing it to our attention so that we could rectify the situation. since in her view there was “not much to discuss... no question the book needs to be removed from circulation.” Leppelman explained Ominously, McCandless also told Von Ancken that the rest of the that the district was now following the policy after initially failing library’s graphic novels were now under scrutiny: to do so, but Coleman still had questions: We’re currently going through the graphic novel collection I am sorry, but I am completely lost on this. Are you creating by hand just to make sure nothing else has slipped through the committee or are you asking me to? Where is the form, the cracks, so if [Lopez] wants to know what else is being why is it not prudent to fill it out, I am not sure I understand done, we’re taking care of it. at all what is being asked. What is the ‘time sensitive’ na- McCandless’ hasty response to a parent’s verbal challenge stands ture? What does that exactly mean? in sharp contrast to the procedure outlined in Rio Rancho Public Actually, the question of why Leppelman previously said it was Schools policy 425A, which reads: “not prudent to have the [challenge] form completed” is quite a Review of questioned (“challenged”) materials will be treat- good one. In any case, Lopez did finally submit a challenge form ed objectively, unemotionally, and as a routine matter. Crit- on March 12—two weeks after the book had been deleted from the icisms of print and non-print materials must be submitted system and four days before the review committee convened to in writing on a Request for Reconsideration of Library Ma- retroactively judge it. When the review committee finally met on terials form obtained from the librarian at the library/media center where the material is housed and submitted to the March 16 and decided by a 5-3 vote that Palomar should not be Superintendent of schools.