Challenge: Information from Answers.com

In American literature, a challenge is defined by the American Library Association (ALA) as an attempt by a person or group of people to have materials such as books removed from a library or from a school curriculum or otherwise restricted. Merely objecting to material is not a challenge without the attempt to remove or restrict access to those materials.^[1]

According to the ALA, a successful challenge would result in a banning and removal of those materials, a form of censorship.^[2] However, the ALA agrees that materials may be removed from libraries in appropriate circumstances^[3] and Island Trees School District v. Pico suggested that books that are pervasively vulgar may be removed legally.^[4]

Challenges are often brought by parents wishing to protect their children from content that they deem to be inappropriate or offensive. The ALA suggest that, while parents and guardians should have the right to determine their children's access to library resources, that right applies only to their children and no library policy, such as restrictive scheduling or usage policies, should deny children access to library resources.^[5]

The differences between challenging a book and banning were discussed by a columnist for American Decency who raised concerns that "efforts by parents to become involved in their children's education by raising questions concerning age-appropriate material" was being referred to as banning.^[6] Similarly, former ALA Councilor Jessamyn West said, "the bulk of these books are challenged by parents for being age-inappropriate for children. While I think this is still a formidable thing for librarians to deal with, it's totally different from people trying to block a book from being sold at all."^[7]

The ALA believes that it is important to monitor challenges made to books as well as actual bannings since a challenge may lead to self-censorship by those seeking to avoid controversy.^[8]

1 See also
2 References
3 External links
- 3.1 News articles

References

^ Censorship and Challenges
^ Support for Dealing with or Reporting Challenges to Library Materials
^ "Marking 25 Years of Banned Books Week," by Judith Krug, Curriculum Review, 46:1, Sep. 2006. "On rare occasion, we have situations where a piece of material is not what it appears to be on the surface and the material is totally inappropriate for a school library. In that case, yes, it is appropriate to remove materials. If it doesn't fit your material selection policy, get it out of there."
^ Island Trees School District v. Pico, 457 U.S. 853 (1982).
^ Free Access to Libraries for Minors; An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights
^ "'Banned Books Week' Stokes the Fire," by Cal Thomas, Muskegon Chronicle, 22 Sep. 1995.
^ "Banned Books Week is Next Week," by Jessamyn West, Librarian.net, 21 Sep. 2006.
^ Books Challenged or Banned in 2006-2007, Robert P. Doyle, American Library Association

External links

News articles

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Challenge

Contents

See also

References

External links

News articles