News & Commentary

Banned Book Week, an annual event led by the American Library Association, will be held Sept 27 to Oct. 4. The ACLU of Connecticut will hold two unusual events – remembering when comic books and popular singers drew censorship.MOST OFTEN CHALLENGED:The 10 most-challenged books of 2007, according to the American Library Association’s’ Office for Intellectual Freedom, were:1) “And Tango Makes Three,” by Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell. Reasons: Anti-Ethnic, Sexism, Homosexuality, Anti-Family, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group2) The Chocolate War,” by Robert Cormier. Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Violence3) “Olive’s Ocean,” by Kevin Henkes. Reasons: Sexually Explicit and Offensive Language4) “The Golden Compass,” by Philip Pullman. Reasons: Religious Viewpoint5) “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” by Mark Twain. Reasons: Racism6) “The Color Purple,” by Alice Walker. Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language7) "TTYL,” by Lauren Myracle. Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group8) "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” by Maya Angelou. Reasons: Sexually Explicit9) “It’s Perfectly Normal,” by Robie Harris. Reasons: Sex Education, Sexually Explicit10) "The Perks of Being A Wallflower,” by Stephen Chbosky. Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age GroupOff the list this year, are two books by author Toni Morrison. "The Bluest Eye" and "Beloved," both challenged for sexual content and offensive language.The most frequently challenged authors of 2007

By Ariana Davis, ACLU-CT 2008 Intern

 

Participants in the ACLU’s Stand Up for Freedom membership conference June 8-10 will visit their members of Congress on “Lobby Day” Tuesday afternoon, visits pre-arranged by ACLU staff. Topics ACLU hopes citizen-lobbyists will bring up include:

Five high school students were awarded prizes this month in the annual essay contest on “What the First Amendment means to me,” one of CFAR’s signature programs that will continue under ACLUF-CT.First prize went to Aaron Kiersh, a senior at Westport’s Staples High School, who wrote about freedom of speech on his radio show at the school’s FM radio station. His English teacher, Lis Comm, was also honored.In second place was Ryan Baldassario of East Lyme High School. Tied for third place were Vera Soliman of East Lyme High and Jack Aldrich of Staples/Westport. Alyssa Thomas of North Branford High School received honorable mention. 

A civil liberties tradition, Banned Books Week, will be this year Sept. 29 to Oct. 6, and the ACLU of Connecticut joins the state's chapter of the American Library Association (ALA) in urging its members to weigh in on the side of free speech.The best-selling series of children's books -- the latest being Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- has become a perennial on the list of those libraries are most often asked to keep off their shelves."Think about that," says Andrew Schneider, executive director-designate of the Connecticut ACLU. "More parents buy Harry Potter books for their children than any other book in recent memory. But libraries still get demands to keep Hogwarts off their shelves."At the top of the last year's list of books that libraries have been urged to censor is the award-winning And Tango Makes Three, about two male penguins who find an egg, hatch it and bring up the chick."That's a picture book," Schneider says, "A children's book, for heaven's sake, written for parents to read to their pre-reading children. Is it supportive of single-sex families? Sure. Can parents decide whether or not to read it to their kids? Sure. Should libraries keep it off their shelves? Of course not!"Two other books on the current "top ten" list are both by Toni Morrison: The Bluest Eye and a perennial on the list some want to censor, Beloved."We urge our members to visit their local library and borrow one or two from the "banned book" list to consider reading to their children or grandchildren," Schneider says. "And if you think it would nonsense to keep those books off library shelves, we urge you to write a letter to the editor or find other ways to express your view."