ED 386 217 TITLE INSTITUTION PUB DATE NOTE AVAILABLE from PUB TYPE EDRS PRICE DESCRIPTORS DOCUMENT RESUME IR 055 658 Attacks On

DOCUMENT RESUME ED 386 217 IR 055 658 TITLE Attacks on the Freedom To Learn 1994-1995 Report. INSTITUTION People for the American Way, Washington, DC. PUB DATE 95 NOTE 250p. AVAILABLE FROM People for the American Way, 2000 M Street, N.W., Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036 ($12.95 members, $14.95 non-members; orders must be prepaid). PUB TYPE Reports Research/Te:hnical (143) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC10 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Case Studies; *Censorship; Elementary Secondary Education; Information Sources; *Intellectual Freedom; *Public Education; Questionnaires; *Reading Materials; Religious Factors; Student Developed Materials; Surveys; *Trend Analysis IDENTIFIERS *Controversial Topics ABSTRACT This report is the 13th annual survey of censorship and related challenges to public education. The primary sources of information were teachers, librarians, school officials and parents who responded to mailed questionnaires or who contacted the researchers individually. In addition, information was gathered from news reports and various forms of outreach to parents and education professionals. The report is divided into two sections. In section 1, trends are reported and analyzed; section 2 is a state-by-state accounting of attacks on the freedom to learn, in which short descriptions of each documented incident are presented. These case studies illustrate how incidents have played out in communities across the nation. A map of regional and state breakdowns is also provided. Findings indicate the following: attacks overall continue at record levels; censorship remains at near record levels and censors succeed in half of all challenges; scope of challenges to materials widens; no area of public education was left unaffected; Religious right political groups lead the charge; objections based on sexual content, objectionable language, and religion are most frequent; anti-gay objections are on the rise; a new wave of sex education controversies exist; and student newspapers, school plays and magazines are frequent targets. Appendices include lists of most frequently challenged materials, books and authors and states with the most challenges. (AEF) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** U S DEPARTMENT Othce of Educational OF FOUCATION Research and improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES CEN1ER IERICIINFORMATION CI This document Pas Peen reproducedas received from theperson or organization onginating .5 0 Minor changes have been made to reproduchon quality improve Points of view or mere do not necessanlyopinions staled 5 ih* dotu OERI position or policy represent otficof SP via5. PERMISSION TO REPRODUCETHIS MATERIAL HAS BEENGRANTI-D BY Deanna R. Duby TO 1HE OUC A 1 10 N M S INFORMATION GEN it 1.1 tl HIc A.103.110. ' MOST FREQUENTLY CHALLENGED BOOKS 1994-1995 i MORE SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK Alvin Schwartz SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK Alvin Schwartz I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS Maya Angelou THE GIVER Lois Lowry HALLOWEEN ABC Eve Merriam SCARY STORIES 3: MORE TALES TO CHILL YOUR BONES Alvin Schwartz BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA Katherine Paterson THE CHOCOLATE WAR Robert Cormier OF MICE AND MEN John Steinbeck i MY BRUNER SAM IS DEAD Christopher & James Lincoln Collier 3 BEST COPY IWAILAOLL \re: ook TTAC S 0T E ...:41. 0.......... I-1/ * t ' t:41 , . REED0 ::: . , 'Wos.:I 1,'.A'',..)4,/1 . :1.;;;;0/ ......o TO L EA ..r......._. ,,,,,,.,,,,,. f/1 /( 1111___ PeP: -44,4 ( Alor.- x(iirdeitrara, _._Airdira". ,. _24.6ft:.""q; 1 rill. Air 1 A \`.. il '-' I If (I, , 1 1 1, 411"I iiii.ti r 'ftl I II,P I 1 ii; r ii I' r` 1 I. 1 lIgI '1 6,, . 1 I ''Itl rE,OpLE FOR 'i' ifig' Oij , 1q41 THE AMERICAN WAY . 1 If,I, i' t.i. i II , .0, fi i i PI, vi - People For ihe American Way is a 300,000-member nonpartisan constitutional liberties organization. A publication of For the American Wa 20o0 M Street. N W. Suite 400 Wa\hingtoll. D.C. 20036 Coprit,Pht /995 by People tor the American ltit All rights reer\eil. ATIACKS ON THE FREEDOM TO LEARN 1994-1995 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND INTRODUCTION 5 2 REGIONAL AND STATE MAP 37 3 50-STATE SECTION 39 4 APPENDICES 234 6 ATTACKS ON THE FREEDOM TO LEARN 1994-1995 ATIACKS ON THE FREEDOM TO LEARN 1994-1995 REPORT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This 1994-95 edition of Attacks on the Freedom to Learn is People For the American Way's 13th annual survey of censorship and related challenges to public education. Our primary source of information in compiling these attacks was the people who experienced them: the teachers, librarians, school officials and parents who either responded to our mailed questionnaires or who contacted our researchers individually.In addition, we gathered information from news reports and various forms of outreach to parents and education professionals. The report is divided into two sections.In Section One, we report and analyze the various trends that emerged from our research. These findings and analysis are summarized briefly in this executive summary as well. Section Two is our state-by-state accounting of attacks on the freedom to learn, in which we present short descriptions of each individual incident we have documented. These case studies illustrate in some detail how incidents have played out in communities across the nation. In addition, a series of appendices are included at the end of this report presenting lists of most frequently challenged materials, hooks and authors. as %yell a variety of other such compilations. What is listed surely does not represent every challenge to school materials during the recently concluded 1994-95 school year. We could hardly hope to monitor every effort to restrict educational materials in each of the more than 15.000 school districts in the United States. Indeed, past experience confirms that a large amount of activity goes unreported. The American Library Association has estimated, for example. that for every censorship incident that is reported. four or five go unreported.Therefore, the information provided here is best understood as a representative snapshot of controversies taking place. not a com- prehensis e accounting. THIS REPORT FINDS: Attacks overall continue at record levels:The 1994-95 school year saw challenges continue at near record levels. Researchers confirmed 458 challenges in 49 states in all regions of the country. States with the highest number of incidents were California. Texas and Pennsylvania. At the other end of the spec- tru m. no incidents were reported in the District of Columbia and Hawaii. PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY Censorship remains near record levels; censors succeed in half of allchallenges:338 of the 458 incidents reported this year were cases of attempt- ed censorship here, for example, demands were made to rem\ e or restrict curricular materials for all ltudents. The success rate of the censors was particu- larly disturbing.In 50 percent of the reported censorship incidents, challenged materials were removed or restricted in sonie fashion. Scope of challenges to materials widens:The number of broad- based challenges to public education was up by nearly a third. '7iy comparison to last year's record levels, rising from 87 to 120.These coriplaints included attempts to incorporate religious activity into the official school day. challenges to Halloween celebrations as "occultic.- opposition to counseling services for gay and lesbian teens, efforts to pass pro-censorship legislation and more. In many communities. Religious Rk.rht political groups are supporting these efforts as an extension of their censorship activity. No area of public education was left unaffected:Given the increased strength of pro-censorship groups. the efkcts of their activism arc being widely felt.Virtually no aspect of the curriculum is safe from these controversies. Religious Right political groups lead the charge: Fully 18 percent of the incidents reported involved national. state or local Religious Right political organizations. An additional 12 percent of challenges were instances that appeared to have been coordinated or inspired hy these same groups. Religious Right political leaders have long focused on public education, and the movement is at the forefront of censorship efforts in the public schools. Objections based on sexual content, objectionable language, and religion most frequent:The most frequent complaint lodged against challenged materials was that the treatment of sexuality was found to be ofiensive. Second most common were challenges in which materials were deemed to be profane or to contain otherwise objectionable language. The third most common were those ill which materials were perceived to be at odds w ith the objector's religion. Anti-gay objections on the rise:A record 16 percent of reported challenge\ involved claims that educators were engaged in "promoting- homosexu- ality. This figure represented a 50 percent increase os er last year. A new wave of sex education controversies:Sex education challenges soared in the 1994-95 school year. Researchers documented such contro- \ ersies in 62 communities across the nation in the past year. many more than last y ear. Student newspapers, school plays and magazines frequent targets: studentpuhlications. student theatrical productions and magazines cominued to he a prime target. tj ATTACKS ON THE FREEDOM TO LEARN 1994-1995 INTRODUCTION For the past 13 years. People For the American Way has documented a steady rise in censorship activity that reflects an ongoing struggle to redefine education in America. The findings of this year'sAttacks on the Freedom to Learn demon:4 rate that the censorship strategy continues to play a central role in efforts to undermine public education even as new and broader challenges are posed to school reform measures, assessmen, tests, guidance programs and sexuality education. These battles are played out against the backdrop of campaigns for state- coerced school prayer or voucher initiatives designed to divert public school monies to private education.

Load more