Thursday, December 13, 2007









Censorship on the March in the Schools

Date: Thu, 13 Dec 2007 09:30:54 -0800 (PST)
From:lee de cesare
Subject: censorship
To:linda.cobbe@sdhc.k12.fl.us
CC:"michael pheneger"
I just got a call saying that somebody has given the order to pull the the book from the library shelves (Just Listen by Sarah Dessen) that one parent complained about at the last board meeting

Is this information correct?

Who authorized the removal of the book if so? Was it a verbal or written authorization? Did the board members approve this censorship?


Please send a copy of your response as well to the local ACLU contact, Michael Pherger; ACLU is monitoring this situation and needs this information.

Ms. Griffin was the sole board member who asked Ms. Elia to be circumspect in any action responding to this one parent's complaint. Did Ms. Griffin get notification and did she approve removing the book from the library shelves if that is what happened?

May I have a copy of the section of the board notes that catalogues the parent's objections to the book and the board's response to her objection? She spoke just before I did when I got gaveled down by Chair Falierro. ldd



lee drury de cesare

2 comments:

SafeLibraries® said...

"Did the board members approve this censorship?"

You don't know that yet, so do not make such a blanket statement.

According to the American Library Association's "Intellectual Freedom Manual," "In Pico, for example, although the Court's plurality opinion prohibited school officials from removing school library book based on the officials' disagreement with the ideas expressed in the books, it noted that removal decisions motivated by concerns that a book was 'educationally unsuitable' or 'pervasively vulgar' would be constitutional."

So depending on the contents of the book, the book may be removed from the public school library without being considered censorship. So until more facts are known, "approv[ing] this censorship" evidences presupposition on your behalf.

Anonymous said...

CENSORSHIP OF BOOKS = BAD!!!!!!!!!