Banned Books Week ROCKED...again!
Read Chris Crutcher's essay on intellectual freedom HERE.
Banned Books Week posters
created by librarian Karen Jensen *
* Email kellymilnerh@aol.com for printable, high resolution files of Karen's Banned Books Week posters.
"The truth screams to be told in its native tongue."
Chris Crutcher
Banned Books...
Hard to believe the challenge and banning of books is still an issue in the new millennium. But the facts cannot be denied. Consider this list of Chris Crutcher book challenges as typical of those book challenges in all but one way. MOST banned books are removed from shelves in silence. The public -- and the book authors -- never even know it's happened.
For more about these challenges, click the related links. And watch for updates.
Have additional Chris Crutcher book challenge information not on this list? Or more information about those mentioned? Email kellymilnerh@aol.com and CC's assistant Kelly will update the list right away.
Facing a new challenge yourself? You're not alone. Contact Chris or Kelly and they'll circle the wagons to help you.
CHRONOLOGICAL CHALLENGES (35) – 1995 to 2011
1995
Location: Roseburg, Oregon – Douglas County Library System
Book: STAYING FAT FOR SARAH BYRNES
Challenger: anonymous parent
“Concern expressed about the book’s language.”
Results: Retained
1999
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Book: ATHLETIC SHORTS – Goldenview Middle School
Challenger: Sue Francis, parent of 8th grader
“Issues Francis had with the book were: homosexuality, language, disrespect for parents
(School Board Meeting Minutes, February 25, 1999)
Results: Parental permission required, no longer used as curriculum
2000
Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama – Northside High School
Book: ATHLETIC SHORTS – Goin’ Fishing
Challenger: Lisa Jeffcoat, parent
“Lisa Jeffcoat thought she could count on church members and pastors for help when she took on the Tuscaloosa County School Board in her attempt to have an objectionable book removed from the library and from a list of required reading. Jeffcoat continues her battle one book at a time. The board so far has agreed to remove only the book by Crutcher, but she says she will continue to attempt to have all objectionable books removed, even if no one else wants to help.”
(News from Agape, June 25, 2001)
Result: Removed
2001
Location: Oregon, Missouri - South Holt High School
Book: WHALE TALK
Challenger: Ronda Hunziger
"I think it is a very offensive book. I don't think these are values our community has for our children."
(St. Joseph News-Press, December 16, 2001)
Results: Book retained, 5 to 2 vote
2002/2003
Location: Texas
Book: STOTAN!
Challenger: Unknown
Results: Unknown
(ACLU of Texas Annual Report)
2003
Location: Corpus Christie, Texas – Gregory Portland Junior High
Book: ATHLETIC SHORTS
Challenger: Laurie Hollowell
“We do censor books as we do not have Playboy in the shelves and the novels of some authors. We prefer to call it monitoring. If you do keep this book based on First Amendment rights, then you cannot discipline students for foul language, hair color, clothing, et cetera, as that is infringing on their rights to free speech."
(Caller-Times, January 14, 2003)
Results: Retained
2003
Location: Portland, Oregon – Robert Gray Middle School
Book: WHALE TALK
Challenger: Parent who later transferred student to Catholic School
(CC personal correspondence)
NOTE: CC debated w/Lars Larson on his radio program, September 23, 2003
Results: Unknown
2003
Location: Fowlerville, Michigan -- Fowlerville High School
Book: WHALE TALK
Challenger: Joyce Cortez, Olivia Verfaillie
"The parent who challenged the book was concerned about the amount of profanity, [Principal] Buggia said, and might have interpreted the book as being anti-Christian."
(Livingston County Daily Press-Argus, September 26, 2003)
" Whale Talk' is a vile, un-Godly, profane novel," Olivia Verfaillie said. "My heart cried for the children who have read this book because it stays. It stays. What we have subjected ourselves to stays within us and Satan can use that to our detriment because of what's been put into our mind."
(Detroit News, March 15, 2005)
Results: Retained, but curriculum dropped for subsequent school years
2003
Location: Texarkana, Texas -- Pleasant Grove Middle School
Book: STOTAN!
Challenger: Unknown
“Sexual Content Violence or Horror Other: Suicide”
(ACLU of Texas, 2003 Report)
2004
Location: Georgetown, South Carolina -- Carver Bay High School
Book: WHALE TALK
Challenger: Derick Marsh
"We're Christians and it's time that Christians take a stand."
(Georgetown Times, December 12, 2004)
Results: Whale Talk was removed from the curriculum
2004
Location: Solon, Iowa
Book ATHLETIC SHORTS – In the Time I Get
Challenger: Doug Singkofer
“The material directly contradicts and undermines the beliefs and teachings of our faith. It introduces a very adult and mature subject to an inappropriately young audience. It is likely to introduce sexual confusion to a group of children who are just becoming sexually aware.”
(Iowa City Press, October 23, 2004)
Results: Retained and appealed
2004
Location: Atchinson, Kansas – Atchinson High School
Book: ATHLETIC SHORTS – Telephone Man
Challenger: Penny Jordan
Results: Retained.
NOTE: Penny was a student at AHS with a foster sister of color. She was concerned her sister would be hurt by the language in the story. CC met with Penny, gave her his copy of ATHLETIC SHORTS and told her she was brave to challenge the story. He defended her right to do so in his presentation.
2004/2005
Location: Killeen, Texas – Ellison High School
Book: WHALE TALK
Challenger: Unknown
“Profanity and inappropriate language”
(ACLU of Texas, 2004/2005 Annual Report)
Results: Use restricted
2005
Location: Phoenix, Arizona – Cholla Middle School
Book: RUNNING LOOSE
Challenger: Parent
Sex and language was the registered complaint
(Personal correspondence with CC)
Results: Unknown
2005
Location: Olathe, Kansas -- Blue Valley School District
Book: STOTAN! (and 13 other books)
Challenger: Janet Harmon, www.classickc.org/Citizens for Literary Standards in Schools
Also, parent Cal Berggen
“One of these books with all of that has been inflicted on my ninth-grade son already this year, a book called 'Stoten.' Three others with very violent images and disgusting images for kids 14 and 15 years old to be reading are planned for my son's second semester at Blue Valley West High School. I am very, very disappointed that the board makes no apparent effort to select administrators and require them to follow the board's policies."
(Johnson County Sun, January 13, 2005)
Results: Retained
2005
Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan -- Ottawa Montessori Academy
Book: ATHLETICS SHORTS/Telephone Man
Challenger: NAACP/Parent
“Trash. It’s terrible. She should be more sensitive than to bring that into a seventh- and eighth-grade classroom. College students can handle stuff like that, but not our babies.” Hazel Lewis, President Grand Rapids NAACP (February 7, 2005 – WZZM 13)
Results: Pulled from district schools, CC events cancelled
NOTE: CC visited Grand Ledge and his most vocal critic, radio announcer Robert S reversed his assessment and defended CC. Local public libraries and TV programmers hosted CC to discuss racial tension in Grand Rapids
2005
Location: Grand Ledge, Michigan -- Grand Ledge High School
Book: WHALE TALK
Challenger: Rev Ken Himbaugh
"We all have an obligation to uphold the moral standards that we want to instill. So I'm looking at this from a moral standpoint." (Grand Ledge Independent, February 2005)
Results: Book retained, CC's visit goes forward as planned. Only 4 students are not allowed to attend.
2005
Location: Athens, Alabama -- Limestone County School District
Book: WHALE TALK
Challenger: Several Parents
“If God’s name is used in vain like this, I just can’t vote for it.” James Shannon, LCSD school board member. (Huntsville Times, September 30, 2005)
”…the book's language is too offensive for children.” (48News, March 8, 2005)
Result: Banned district wide
2005
Location: Montgomery County Public Library
Books: IRONMAN and ATHLETIC SHORTS
Challenger: Jim Cabannis and the American Veterans in Defense of Democracy
"AVIDD's true agenda became glaringly obvious when Cabaniss said that the books were put in the library by a gay, lesbian and transgendered task force devoted to spreading their lifestyle to others." Erin Myers editorial, Democrat Herald
Results: Book Retained
2005
Location: Iowa City, Iowa
Book: ATHLETIC SHORTS -- A Brief Moment in the Life of Angus Bethune
Challenger: One mother
Teacher accused of saying "homosexuality is good.”
(Personal correspondence with CC, October 2005)
Result: Teacher no longer allowed to teach her unit on tolerance.
2005
Location: Westmoreland, New York -- Westmoreland Central School District
Book: STAYING FAT FOR SARAH BYRNES
Challenger: One mother
Quote Unavailable
Result: Retained
2006
Location: Junction City, Kansas – Junction City High School
Book: CHINESE HANDCUFFS
Challenger: School Board Member/Parent
No quote available
Results: Retained
2006
Location: Hillsboro County, Florida
Books: ATHLETIC SHORTS and IRONMAN
Challenger: Hillsboro County Commissioner Ronda Storms
“I do not want to have to explain to my [6-year-old] daughter what it means to be questioning one’s sexuality … or what a transgender person is, or what a bisexual is or what a gay or lesbian is,” said Storms.
(SP Time, date to follow)
Results: Gay Pride displays are banned
2006
Location: Rootstown, Ohio – Rootstown High School
Books: RUNNING LOOSE and CHINESE HANDCUFFS
Challenger: Unknown
Results: Unknown
2006
Location: Wausau, Wisconsin -- Horace Mann Middle School
Book: ATHLETIC SHORTS
Challenger: Mrs. Patrick Keefe (wife of Wausau School Board President)
"inappropriate" “These topics are very edgy, without a doubt.”
(Wausau Daily Herald, October 25, 2006)
Results: Book pulled from curriculum/read aloud
2006/2007
Location: Kennedale, Texas – Kennedale High School
Book: RUNNING LOOSE
Challenger: Unknown
“Profanity and sexual content”
(ACLU of Texas Annual Report)
Results: Book was removed from required reading list, but is still available in library and still available as alternative reading selection in class.
2007
Location: Missouri Valley, Iowa -- Missouri Valley High School
Book: WHALE TALK
Challenger: Rev. Nathan Slaughter
"It's filled with obscenities and tries to use negative things to teach the lesson."
(Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil, February 23, 2007)
Results: Retained
2007
Location: Lake Oswego, OR
Book: WHALE TALK
Challenger: Unknown
"Racial themes, language"
(USA Today Chart)
2008
Location: Camden, Delaware
Book: THE SLEDDING HILL
Challenger: Parent (name not disclosed)
“Whale Talk contains over 140 profane words including the use of the F word 17 times. Could create lack of respect for authority.”
(Reconsideration form, date redacted along with name)
Result: Retained
2008 - Oct
Location: Lincoln, IL
Book: STAYING FAT FOR SARAH BYRNES
Challenger: Parent, Mary Sager
Pornography
Result: Unknown
(Report coutesty of NCTE REPORT -- Millie Davis at the NCTE shared the article link and said SFFSB was not mentioned in the article but was challenged in the same parental action.)
2008/2009
Location: Klein, Texas -- Klein Oak High School (KISD)
Book: WHALE TALK
Challenger: Unknown
Politically, racially or socially offensive
(ACLU Texas
Results: Retained
2009
Location: Delphi, Indiana – Delphi Community High School
Book: CHINESE HANDCUFFS
Challenger: Parents objected to language
(Kokomo Tribune, March 16, 2009)
Result: Retained
NCTE REPORT
Chinese Handcuffs, Chris Crutcher (11th grade AP English, IN) vulgar language. Sent rationales and resources.
2009
Location: Mt. Sterling, Kentucky
Book: DEADLINE
Challenger: Superintendent Daniel Freeman (and parents)
“…these books have no value…” (and he points to lexile scores)
(Freeman blog)
Results: Books pulled from classroom, teacher Risha Mullen was fired.
2010
Location: Belleview, Wisconsin
Book: STAYING FAT FOR SARAH BYRNES
Challenger: Lori Beil
“There is pornographic and other sexual content on several pages. There are at least 52 pages where the Lord's name is taken in vain or there are swear words and other vulgar words. Also characters "portrayed as Christians" are sometimes ridiculed or portrayed in a negative way.”
(Channel3000.com, October 22, 2010)
Result: Retained
2011
Location: Kershaw County, South Carolina – Camden High School
Book: ANGRY MANAGEMENT
Challenger: Douglas Berry
“So I read the first 24 pages of the book that he had read, and within the first 24 pages I’d pretty much read every curse word that you could read. But then I thought, maybe the book will get a little calmer,” he said. “I opened it up to a random page, and it was just horrendous. The use of the F-word was all over the place. I went back a page and I saw where they used it as the act of sex at what was supposed to be a chaperoned event.”
(Chronicle Independent, June 29, 2011)
Results: Pulled from shelves prior to reconsideration procedure. Final result: retained, pending appeal
August 2014
Location: Waukesha, Wisconsin -- Waukesha High School
Book: CHINESE HANDCUFFS
Challenger: Karen Tessman
"Gang rape, extreme violence and brutality have no place in the English curriculum," and "They don't need this kind of violence brought into their lives," Tessman said.
Results: Retained after review (see article). Appeal filed.
September 2014
Location: Kerrville ISD - Valentine ISD - Boerne, Texas
Book: Angry Management -- "Meet Me at the Gates, Marcus James"
Challenger: Parent/Administration
"Unfortunately, we have been told we can't use it next year because of the language."
Results: Story no longer used with TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD for discussion purposes.
Free Speech Support Links
National Coalition Against Censorship
http://www.ncac.org/index.php
ALA Freedom to Read Foundation
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/affiliates/relatedgroups/freedomtoreadfoundation/index.cfm
NCTE Anti-Censorship Center
http://www.ncte.org/action/anti-censorship
Random House First Amendment First Aid Kit
http://www.randomhouse.com/teens/firstamendment/
AS IF! Authors Support Intellectual Freedom
http://asifnews.blogspot.com/
First Amendment Center
http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/
http://www.ncac.org/index.php
ALA Freedom to Read Foundation
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/affiliates/relatedgroups/freedomtoreadfoundation/index.cfm
NCTE Anti-Censorship Center
http://www.ncte.org/action/anti-censorship
Random House First Amendment First Aid Kit
http://www.randomhouse.com/teens/firstamendment/
AS IF! Authors Support Intellectual Freedom
http://asifnews.blogspot.com/
First Amendment Center
http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/
