Preparing for Challenges

While I was reading an article for the class in the “Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center” I came across this article “Teachers Should Prepare For Book Challenges”, by Sharon Cromwell. She is referring to an article “Book Banning” by Ronnie D. Lankford.

She talks about how censorship can cause bitter debates and how challenges to curriculum have caused communities to take sides, both sides very passionate about their beliefs. I was concerned about a report she referred to from the National School Boards Association; “challenges frequently work; nearly one-third result in materials being withdrawn from school”. She goes on to say that the major challenges arise from materials referring to sex and drug education, challenging authority, women behaving nontraditionally, evolution and creation, and sharing personal information. Knowing that these topics can send up red flags, it is best to make sure schools have policies in place regarding these materials. She suggests that policies should weigh the viewpoints of the community and the policy should be drawn up by professionals. Other ways to be ready for challenges; have parents on board for the reading programs, recommend reading list but do not require them, keep files on professional reviews of materials (this is a great idea), and have collective bargaining agreements.
Ms. Cromwell also talks about the process for challenged materials. Talk with the complainant and try and resolve the issue, ask for a written complaint, give the complainant the district policies and explain the procedure, put a committee together to review, talk to the complainant about what is progressing with the complaint, have a appeals process and keep the materials challenged available for other patrons.
The author states that “the challenge is not to avoid censorship, but to meet it head on with adequate policies and procedures that provide an open forum for deciding what should, or should not take place in public school”. 

Sharon Cromwell. "Teachers Should Prepare For Book Challenges." At Issue: Book Banning. Ed. Ronnie D. Lankford. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. UNIV LIBRARY AT IUPUI. 2 June 2009 http://find.galegroup.com.proxy.ulib.iupui.edu/ovrc/infomark.do?&contentSet=GSRC&type=retrieve&tabID=T010&prodId=OVRC&docId=EJ3010489215&source=gale&srcprod=OVRC&userGroupName=iulib_iupui&version=1.0

Claire Mullally. "Book Banning Has Legal Limits." At Issue: Book Banning. Ed. Ronnie D. Lankford. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. UNIV LIBRARY AT IUPUI. 2 June 2009

http://find.galegroup.com.proxy.ulib.iupui.edu/ovrc/infomark.do?&contentSet=GSRC&type=retrieve&tabID=T010&prodId=OVRC&docId=EJ3010489202&source=gale&srcprod=OVRC&userGroupName=iulib_iupui&version=1.0