10.01.2009

Book Bans and Challenges, 2007-2009

Found this kind of interesting -- an interactive Google map highlighting school districts where banned books were challenged, including links to the actual letters challenging those bans.

When I was teaching middle school, several books would tend to "disappear" from the library one year, only to return the next.

The weird part was (at least in the School District I worked in) was that it only took one complaint to get a book banned, but there were multiple hoops that had to be jumped through to get a banned book back off that list.

I also found it interesting that among the 2 states on this map that didn't list ANY banned books yet (the other being New Mexico) was Utah -- which I'm sure is a very nice place but has a bit of reputation as being slightly close-minded.

Perhaps it's just the case that schools in Utah don't have any books in their school libraries that could land on that list (I have no way to know for sure), but whatever the explanation -- it's just another interesting footnote on a very cool Google map.

Enjoy!


1 comment:

Satorical said...

Footnote: A Spielberg-helmed movie based upon the book restricted in Brooklyn (Tintin au Congo) is in the works. The movie will be based on the series as a whole, not that particular work.

Related Stories:

Related Posts with Thumbnails