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EXPRESS YOURSELF!

in support of free expression

The information presented here by the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) may be freely redistributed in its entirety, provided that readers are informed that the information was obtained from NCAC's World Wide Web site and that credit is given to the appropriate source of whatever information is used. Permission is expressly granted for the information obtained to be made available for file transfer from installations offering unrestricted anonymous file transfer on the Internet. Information found here may not be sold for profit or incorporated in commercial documents without the written permission from the National Coalition Against Censorship.

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NCAC Education Archive

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For resources on dealing with book challenges, go to NCAC's Book Censorship Toolkit.

"More than anything the United States needs effective citizens competent to do their own thinking."

—William Mather Lewis

The foundation of democracy is education, for knowledge – along with the critical skills to interpret what we see and hear each day – allows us to make informed decisions as citizens.

Yet schools have always been a heated venue for censorship disputes, and are regularly under pressure from interests both local and national. School principals, students' parents, community groups, and state and national legislatures all bring their concerns to bear on what is taught, what materials may be used in classrooms, what information students may access in libraries and on the internet, and how students may express themselves through the creative and media outlets within their reach.

Much of NCAC's work to defend free expression in schools focuses on countering challenges to books. "Book bannings" may sound like a thing of the past, but every day, we hear from students, teachers, parents, and librarians who are fighting for students' right to read what they choose. Censorship also takes place in schools in forms that are often less visible, such as abstinence-only sex education, imposition of internet filters on library computers, efforts to undermine scientific teachings, and infringements on academic freedom.

In the current heated political climate, we have especially observed a sharp increase in censorship of dissenting or minority views, as well as widespread suppression of the student press. Perhaps the most concerning of these developments is the so-called Academic Bill of Rights — it may sound good, but just read between the lines!

Resources

Need help with a book challenge? Go to NCAC's Book Censorship Toolkit or Contact NCAC.

NCAC's collection of fact sheets on free expression in schools address the wide variety of censorship issues that face students, educators, and parents. If you find yourself embroiled in a censorship controversy, consult these resources for some background information and then contact us for advice or assistance.