Frequently Asked Questions
What is censorship?
"Censorship is the suppression of ideas and information that certain persons—individuals, groups or government officials—find objectionable or dangerous." (American Library Association)
What is the difference between a banned book and a challenged book?
Books have been banned or challenged throughout history and this trend continues today.
A banned book is a book that may be:
"A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials. Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others. Due to the commitment of librarians, teachers, parents, students and other concerned citizens, most challenges are unsuccessful and most materials are retained in the school curriculum or library collection. " (American Library Association, Office of Intellectual Freedom)
Why are books challenged?
Books usually are challenged with the best intentions—to protect others, frequently children, from difficult ideas and information.
Censorship can be subtle, almost imperceptible, as well as blatant and overt, but, nonetheless, harmful. As John Stuart Mill wrote in On Liberty: "If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind. Were an opinion a personal possession of no value except to the owner; if to be obstructed in the enjoyment of it were simply a private injury, it would make some difference whether the injury was inflicted only on a few persons or on many. But the peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is, that it is robbing the human race; posterity as well as the existing generation; those who dissent from the opinion, still more than those who hold it. If the opinion is right, they are deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for truth: if wrong, they lose, what is almost as great a benefit, the clearer perception and livelier impression of truth, produced by its collision with error."
Often challenges are motivated by a desire to protect children from “inappropriate” sexual content or “offensive” language. The following were the top three reasons cited for challenging materials as reported to the Office of Intellectual Freedom:
Although this is a commendable motivation, Access to Library Resources and Services for Minors, an interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights (ALA's basic policy concerning access to information) states that, “Librarians and governing bodies should maintain that parents—and only parents—have the right and the responsibility to restrict the access of their children—and only their children—to library resources.” Censorship by librarians of constitutionally protected speech, whether for protection or for any other reason, violates the First Amendment.
As Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan, Jr., in Texas v. Johnson, said most eloquently: "If there is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment, it is that the government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable."
If we are to continue to protect our First Amendment, we would do well to keep in mind these words of Noam Chomsky: "If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all."
Or these words of Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, in The One Un-American Act: "Restriction of free thought and free speech is the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one un-American act that could most easily defeat us."
Throughout history, more and different kinds of people and groups of all persuasions than you might first suppose, who, for all sorts of reasons, have attempted—and continue to attempt—to suppress anything that conflicts with or anyone who disagrees with their own beliefs.
In his book Free Speech for Me—But Not for Thee: How the American Left and Right Relentlessly Censor Each Other, Nat Hentoff writes that “the lust to suppress can come from any direction.” He quotes Phil Kerby, a former editor of the Los Angeles Times, as saying, “Censorship is the strongest drive in human nature; sex is a weak second.”
According to the American Library Association's infographics, parents challenge materials more often than any other group.
Does book banning happen on both sides of the political spectrum?
"Much recent attention has centered on book-challenging efforts by conservatives. Last year, Matt Krause, a Republican in the Texas House of Representatives, distributed a watch list of 850 books that “might make students feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress because of their race or sex.” And Rob Standridge, a Republican state senator in Oklahoma, filed a bill to ban books that have to do with issues such as sexual orientation, sexual activity and gender identity. Book challenging is, however, a bipartisan issue. In 2019, for example, two Democratic state legislators from New Jersey lobbied for schools to stop teaching The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, because it contains racist language. And liberal parents have lobbied for books such as To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck to be banned, for reasons such as racist slurs and “white savior” characters." (Haupt, A., Washington Post)
What does LGBTQIA+ stand for?
L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+ is an acronym used to signify Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual people collectively. The + acknowledges additional variations in the entire gender and sexuality spectrum that letters and words do not describe yet. (New York Times).
What is Critical Race Theory?
Critical Race Theory is a scholarly term credited to Kimberlé W. Crenshaw, a Distinguished Professor of Law at Columbia Law University and UCLA .
"Critical Race Theory, or CRT, is an academic and legal framework that denotes that systemic racism is part of American society — from education and housing to employment and healthcare. Critical Race Theory recognizes that racism is more than the result of individual bias and prejudice. It is embedded in laws, policies and institutions that uphold and reproduce racial inequalities. According to CRT, societal issues like Black Americans’ higher mortality rate, outsized exposure to police violence, the school-to-prison pipeline, denial of affordable housing, and the rates of the death of Black women in childbirth are not unrelated anomalies." (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Legal Defense Fund)
CRT has been incorrectly co-opted as a term by opponents who seek to silence discussions of diversity and inclusion in classrooms.
Why do some lawmakers want to ban Critical Race Theory?
"The term “critical race theory” [or CRT] has been co-opted by opponents as a catch-all and rallying cry to silence any discussions about systemic racism, ban the truthful teaching of American history, and reverse progress toward racial justice. The term has been unjustifiably used to include all diversity and inclusion efforts, race-conscious policies, and education about racism, whether or not they draw from CRT. Attempts to ban CRT are really attacks on free speech, on discussions about the truthful history of race and racism in the U.S., and the lived experiences of Black people and other people of color.
Lawmakers and proponents of the bans insist they are advocating for a balanced and “patriotic” education. However, these bans do the exact opposite: deny the truth about our nation’s history, silence dissent, and punish those who speak the truth to counter whitewashed falsehoods." (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Legal Defense Fund)
LGBTQIA+ topics have also been incorrectly thrown under the co-opted umbrella of "CRT" by these opponents, and we are seeing books which cover LGBTQIA+ topics challenged and banned as well.
What is Intellectual Freedom?
"The rights of library users to read, seek information, and speak freely as guaranteed by the First Amendment." (American Library Association)
"The First Amendment’s right to freedom of expression encompasses intellectual freedom, which includes an individual’s right to receive information on a wide range of topics from a variety of viewpoints." (Free Speech Center, Middle Tennessee State University)
What does the First Amendment say?
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” (National Coalition Against Censorship)
No. The American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) receives reports from libraries, schools, and the media on attempts to ban books in communities across the country. They compile lists of challenged books in order to inform the public about censorship efforts that affect libraries and schools. The American Library Association (ALA) condemns censorship and works to ensure free access to information. For more information on the American Library Association's efforts to raise awareness of censorship and promote the freedom to read, please explore Banned Books Week.