Censorship in Schools

[Daft Punk]

Do you think that the books you people are required to read in school should be censored?

[cyberfields]

in my opinion i think that censorship is a bunch of bullshit... but that is just me.... i think everyone should have the right to express themselves

[Arei]

For study purposes, no they shouldn't be censored. That takes away from the book's meaning and why the reason we're probably reading it in the first place, to see the controversial issues it presents.

[dragoneyes001]

what are you asking pretty much anything in grade and high schools is already censored.

[Edgey]

It depends what school, if it's a school for younger children then I can understand that things should be censored from their fragile mids until they get older, but if it something like a high school, then I see no point to censorship, it hinders the learning ability of certain subjects, Biology for one or English classes

Overall, I think that it is a good thing for younger students, but not good for older ones :)

[cappy3]

they sensor everything else. But no they should not sensor books (any type). That just make the book boring!! I mean if they want to give us facts and stuff in the books then if you sensor these then what do we know is sensored and what isn't!!! that is how i think about it.

[Lincoln1587]

I agree with VizardMaster completely, I believe that censorship was intended for young students, but some overprotecting parents had it spread throughout the entire educational system... I know a few of my teachers that really dont care about the school censorship rules. If they know that we need to learn it, they will teach us it anyway. And those teachers are the best teachers you can possibly have.

[Daft Punk]

Now, though I agree completely with all that, I'm going to play the devils advocate here, just for the sake of argument. . .

What about books where racism is an issue and words like the 'N' word are used? Do you want children of any age to pick up on this, and start using it to describe their classmates? Also, it may be offensive to some students. Racism is still very abundant in certain areas of the world, and the characters in books like this could influence some people.

^Again, not my belief at all, I just want to see how everyone else responds^

[Hajar]

Well when you touch on a subject like racism you have to consider that is still very present,especially in the south therefore I believe that it censoring a book like that blinds children to the truth..so if a five year old(or someone of older age) does start to use the "N" word to describe other classmates,I believe that its up to teach that child why it is wrong and where it came from.

[dragoneyes001]

virtually every book that enters ANY school library has been checked for content that might contravene current social standards. that includes universities because the making of atomic bombs has been pretty much purged from libraries. yes there are some technical books that still do exist but even these are on a watch list.

the same is true for socially unacceptable content like pornography (this varies from place to place ) which is also censored.

[VampyreLord]

Just because it's done doesn't mean it should be done.

I think it should be, but you might argue students shouldn't be treated like they're too stupid or immature to understand or deal with real world issues, I don't know...

[Shinomori]

School is meant to prepare kids for life.

Sheltering kids from life, by its nature, does NOT prepare them for life - in fact, it does the very opposite.

Censoring, therefore, contradicts the very mission of a school.

So no.

[Tyekanik]

Covering a childs eyes does not help the child. They shouldn't be exposed to things that must be censored to begin with in my opinion. At highschool level, censorship is a very, very lame attempt. The language in the school is by far worse than any novel they'd have at the library. Stop pretending a student will lead a better life because they won't see the word 'shit' in their readings. Oh yeah, highschoolers fornicate like bunnies too, but lets not talk about sex in a book.

All this 'partial exposure' in my opinion does nothing for a young child. Look but don't touch, touch but don't feel, what is a child supposed to think? especially when every single child has access to said censored material no sooner than the bell ringing to end the day. I know I'd go home and crack open a stephen king novel in late elementary school, the exposure to such things makes you think about it, rather they pretend to protect the child whilst all the time the child knows about what is being ignored. Because its ignored, nobody is explaining why its wrong.

By the way the 'N' word was being used while I was in early elementary school by kids, the south loses. Censorship is outdated, its time to rip it down and start explaining morality to children.

[SaberBlade]

Censorship is the biggest load of crap ever. There is more and more attempts nowadays to make people say the right thing, do the right thing, be the right thing. It's all gotten to a point where it's coming down to selective censorship where it's okay to censor one thing because it's wrong or offensive yet leave other stuff alone because it will help influence other people.

Just look at schools, they try and control the beliefs of people rather than teach because schools are controlled by assholes, or it's the parents. I'm sure there are jewish schools out there teaching how the Holocaust was true evil, or you've got some KKK retard or Neo-Nazi **** telling their kids how dirty jews are ruining the world and the holocaust never happened.

It's all about making people believe what you want them to believe, and it's getting to the point where the kids are suffering. Instead of being able to accept other people, kids are being programmed to believe in something that could make their lives miserable. If anything, people should just be taught the facts, but hell who is to say that even the history books are right because in the end, history is written by the winner.

It's all about control, and nothing will change how schools work. We can just hope that good parents will raise their kids right and tech them the important stuff schools won't because of the asshole in charge or some right wing group forcing the schools to teach what they want.

[peacmaker]

Saberblade, your hit nail on the hammer that schools are not teach a think, but contral what young people should think or not think. That why so many kids are doing well in schools and have take classes in college to help better understand math and writing.

Schools in this nation have gone over board they so-called sheild the childerns for every little bad thing in this world. I don't think that right all and as kids get older they start ask question to stuff they should already know in first place.

[SaberBlade]

Schools in this nation have gone over board they so-called sheild the childerns for every little bad thing in this world. I don't think that right all and as kids get older they start ask question to stuff they should already know in first place.

That's right, they do shield the children but the problem is, who dictates what's bad?

I've heard about schools in America (and only america) banning Harry Potter because they (and I don't know who "they" are, but probably self-rightous christians) fear kids will be drawn to witchcraft. Or they ban Harry Potter because JK Rowling says it's her opinion (rather than being stated in the books) that Dumbledore was gay. They don't give kids the choice to determine what they think is right.

Afterall, we're living in a world where good schoolboys like Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were nice, innocent boys until Marilyn Manson and GTA polluted their minds.

Censorship in one way does have a good point. Whenever someone does something really ****ed up, people can finally blame the parents or at least come to terms that they were just that way in the first place instead of blaming others for kids mistakes and trying to control more kids. It's just like Seung-Hui Cho, he wasn't mental, Jack Thompson had already proved videogames were responsible despite the fact that they didn't yet know his identity (no idea how good ole JT figured that out) and Cho hadn't played CounterStrike (his so called killing simulator) in 4 years and didn't own videogames.

I've gotten a bit off topic there, but it all goes to show that people will try and do anything to make you believe anything. Censorship is just the first step when it comes to kids, because after you censor what the kids read, then comes propoganda to further the agenda being planned to make the kids think, do and believe what you want.

[Sushi]

We already know what it is, so why should they sensor it?

If they want to start sensoring books, they should sensor the media too, that's where the real "education" is. Kid's learn most of the things that adults want to sensor simply by watching TV and reading magazines. If you looked at an ad right now, chances are there is some way to take it sexually.

So before sensoring works of literature that can teach kid's something, start by sensoring the media that teaches kids nothing but sex-ed.

[Leukos]

I personally hate censorship. I am an actor, an the entire acting culture is going down the gutter because of censorship. Before I continue, I don't want 5 year olds watching porn in class either...
In order to be a successful actor you need to have a good program to learn what you need. Because of censorship, the number of real acting classes out there are abysmal. Why? Because due to censorship, plays and theatre didn't exsist between the 1940s and the 1990s. Why? Because there were great playwrites like David Mamet who cursed in their plays and used suggestive themes.

My career is ruined due to censorship... thanks a lot, jerks...

[ShinigamiBane]

I think the schools just like to screw with their students, do they honestly think that there's a single teenager out there that doesn't know how to swear? I can understand the blocking of pornography and stuff like that but the rest makes no sense.

As to the actual topic, I don't think that books should be censored, like someone before me stated, it would detract from the real purpose of reading most of the literature they force on you in school.

[Leukos]

Well, on the topic of pornography.

I found out that at my school they have banned most educational websites on the web, but there are actually porn sites that can be accessed without even using a proxy bypass at all!

How's that for screwy? You can't teach, but you can watch porn...

[KholdStare]

I personally believe that censorship within a school is appropriate. I know my high school went from grades 7-12 so kids between the ages of 13 and 18 went to the same school. Now, I have no problem with kids who are above 16 reading books with "suggestive themes" but I do think it's a problem when kids under that age read books of the same theme. Most of the time, the kids just giggle while others get uncomfortable. Censorship does not just mean books, it extends to publications within the school as well. I remember when my school ran an article talking about contraception. Do 7th graders need to know about contraception?

I really think the argument that "most teenagers already swear" so it is OK for them to do it in school is invalid. Just because it does happen, we should not promote it by remaining complacent. If schools did allow swearing, then the resignation of the school in that matter would mean that the school has accepted that there is nothing wrong with swearing. Although the percentage is already very high of the number of kids who swear, we should not promote it by allowing it to happen.

And Leukos if you are an adult, I don't get what you are complaining about. If you are still in high school then you shouldn't expect your high school to allow you to perform those kinds of plays in the high school. Acting classes teach you how to act, so how does censorship prevent you from getting good acting classes? Any play that you want to do with suggestive themes can be performed, just not in front of young audiences.

[KT Samurai]

Teaching proper etiquette is perfectly fine, but trying to escape the real world in order to do it is just going to create young people who have no idea what they're getting into. Censorship in school should not be happening.

[KholdStare]

Teaching proper etiquette is perfectly fine, but trying to escape the real world in order to do it is just going to create young people who have no idea what they're getting into. Censorship in school should not be happening.

Yes, kids already know what goes on in the real world after hearing about all the murders, rapes, etc on the news but the school should focus on educating the kids in solely academia. Anything outside that should be the responsibility of the parents. If a high school was for kids who are in the 16-18 age range, then I would have no problem and would say there shouldn't be censorship as long as it is not unnecessary obscenity but when a high school is for kids as young as 14, I do think censorship is necessary.

If there was no censorship at all in school, then any student could publish anything he/she wanted to in the newspaper. What if a student published an article in the school newspaper about how we should enslave African Americans again? Should that be allowed to happen? There are people in the "real world" who probably believe that, but should a school allow such an article to be published? All this would do is foster anger and hatred among the students.

[KT Samurai]

Yes, kids already know what goes on in the real world after hearing about all the murders, rapes, etc on the news but the school should focus on educating the kids in solely academia. Anything outside that should be the responsibility of the parents. If a high school was for kids who are in the 16-18 age range, then I would have no problem and would say there shouldn't be censorship as long as it is not unnecessary obscenity but when a high school is for kids as young as 14, I do think censorship is necessary.

If there was no censorship at all in school, then any student could publish anything he/she wanted to in the newspaper. What if a student published an article in the school newspaper about how we should enslave African Americans again? Should that be allowed to happen? There are people in the "real world" who probably believe that, but should a school allow such an article to be published? All this would do is foster anger and hatred among the students.

Precisely. Free speech can be a ***** sometimes.

A student should be able to express themselves in an environment designed to confront their beliefs. Censorship is a wussy way out of responsibility, a shield people hide behind in order to avoid being offended. The thing is, there are words and ideas that will offend someone out there. I know I'm offended every time someone tells me I have to accept Jesus in order to achieve happiness or when a politician tries to say that water boarding is merely a "shock to the senses". These things offend me, but I just have to deal with it.

[KholdStare]

Precisely. Free speech can be a ***** sometimes.
A student should be able to express themselves in an environment designed to confront their beliefs. Censorship is a wussy way out of responsibility, a shield people hide behind in order to avoid being offended. The thing is, there are words and ideas that will offend someone out there. I know I'm offended every time someone tells me I have to accept Jesus in order to achieve happiness or when a politician tries to say that water boarding is merely a "shock to the senses". These things offend me, but I just have to deal with it.

If the school funds the school newspaper (as most schools do) I think they reserve the right to decide what can and cannot be published in the newspaper. With what you say, it should be perfectly fine for somebody to write utterly racist articles. Now if somebody were to shoot up a school due to those racist remarks, I'm pretty one of the main targets of authorities would be the school for allowing such things to be published. So why would a school NOT take measures to prevent such things? A school newspaper should be about the school... like how students don't like the new late policy or how there is too much funding for sports and not enough for academics.
Recently I read an article about how a school was outraged that their principal had confiscated all the school newspapers because there was an article about contraception. Now at first, that sounded ridiculous and an encroachment of the first amendment rights of the students. But when I googled the incident and found a reputable news source (CNN if I recall correctly) they explained that the article had a very graphic section with a "how to" on sex. It was obvious that the students were trying to be "funny" with borderline pornography in the school newspaper. If I had a 14 year old child, I don't think I would want them reading such an article. I'm sure many other parents agree and I'm sure many others wouldn't mind. The only way to appease them both would be to NOT run the article at all. Parents hold the authority above principals in most schools.

[DarkSlayer]

Many of the users that have posted already have discussed the younger generation and how censorship should be allowed on some topics. To this, I agree. The younger children should not be exposed to the majority of the harsh facts of life and society today until they're older and mature enough to comprehend these facts.

Kholdstare has also stated that the schools' job is to teach academic topics/classes, and to that I agree as well. What I feel is wrong is what the schools define as necessary and what should be censored within those topics.

I agree with Shinomori - I feel that schools are sheltering children from what's going on in the world. Like Saber has argued, who gets to dictate what is right or wrong? The government has the final say on what should or should not be censored in our childrens' schools. It's to the point today that when these kids get out of school, they're programmed to the point of almost being blind or oblivious to what's going on in life.

School should be preparing children for life. Knowledge is power, and the more these kids know, the better IMO. If these schools expose the children more and more over time and give them the proper guidance with each sensitive subject, I think each generation would be equipped with the proper tools to succeed in life. Not just financially, but as a whole.

[Hitsugaya Toshirou]

trying to censor stuff in school is like saying "dont look at the naked girl in front of you" why? because if a naked girl/boy your gonna look up and down then maybe turn away :)

[Crimson_Stigmata]

School is meant to prepare kids for life.

Sheltering kids from life, by its nature, does NOT prepare them for life - in fact, it does the very opposite.

Censoring, therefore, contradicts the very mission of a school.

So no.

School is suppose to do that..and yet they don't teach kids about money or how to use it. >_>" I see college students who can't even balance their own check books...that's way beyond sad. Not to mention why so many "adults" are in debt cause they think credit cards are the answer to their money problems.

Back to the main topic...I've read the censored books...well before they were censored by the district so meh. :P You guys aren't really missing out on anything. Also...just because the school censored the book doesn't mean you can't read it on your own. >_>"