Views – Education Held Hostage
Last week, the Middle East Forum launched "Campus Watch" to condemn what it calls academic bias on the Middle East; a professor identified on the site was barraged with threatening e-mails.
In The Courts: CN 86
A federal appeals court in California caused a political firestorm when it ruled that public schools may not include the words "under God," which were added to the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954, when students recite the Pledge. The Ninth Circuit has stayed the decision; an appeal is expected.
Cromwell Board of Ed Considers Removing 2 Books from Middle School
Mark Cohan, Superintendent of Schools and Members of the Cromwell Board of Education 9 Mann Memorial Drive Cromwell, Connecticut 06416 Dear Superintendent Cohan and Members of the Cromwell Board of Education: We understand that some residents seek to remove Katherine Paterson's Bridge to Terabithia and Elizabeth George Speare's The Witch of Blackbird Pond, from the Cromwell middle school, and to [...]
Let us Pledge Common Sense
I for one am glad that the Pledge of Allegiance has been thrown into the ash heap by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. If I wanted to join a secret society replete with oaths, clubby handshakes and ceremony, I'd seek out the Shriners, Elks or some other club.
Response from the Board of Regents
Chancellor Bennett asked me to respond to your letter of June 11th in which you requested an opportunity to meet with the Board of Regents. The Chancellor asked me to inform you that he and the Board of Regents are satisfied that Commissioner Mills is dealing appropriately with the matter of editing text for questions in State exams. The Board of Regents traditionally does not grant requests from organizations or individuals who wish to address the Board. The Board will not be able to accommodate your request to address them, and they will not be holding public hearings on this topic.
Examples of Literary Works Altered on New York State Regents English Language Arts Examinations
Altered or deleted text is in bold. Ernesto Galarza's1 memoir, Barrio Boy. Original: "My pals in the second grade were Kazushi, whose parents spoke only Japanese; a skinny Italian boy; and Manuel, a fat Portugese who would never get into a fight but wrestled you to the ground and just sat on you." Regents: "My pals in the second [...]
Censorship in Camouflage I: The Censor Within
Svetlana Mintcheva: Welcome to the panel on self-censorship, the second in a series of two panels organized to celebrate the re-launching of the File Room (www.thefileroom.org), an Internet archive of art censorship cases, created by Antoni Muntadas in 1994.
Follow-up Letter Regarding Censored Literature in Mandatory English Language Arts Regents Exams
We are gratified that Commissioner Mills has indicated an intent to abandon the use of expurgated literary passages on the English Regents exam, but this response is not wholly satisfactory. Given the pervasiveness of the practice and the conflicting statements from the Education Department, it is incumbent on state education officials to provide greater assurance through credible evidence that the State Education Department will no longer censor educational materials.
Censorship in Camouflage II: McDonalds or McDocumenta: Artistic Freedom in a Global Economy (Discussion)
About Censorship in Camouflage Censorship in Camouflage I: The Censor Within Censorship in Camouflage I: Free Markets and Free Expression Censorship in Camouflage II: McDonalds or McDocumenta: Artistic Freedom in a Global Economy (Panel) Censorship in Camouflage II: McDonalds or McDocumenta: Artistic Freedom in a Global Economy (Discussion) Censorship in Camouflage II: McDonalds or McDocumenta: [...]
Censorship in Camouflage I: Free Markets and Free Expression
About Censorship in Camouflage Censorship in Camouflage I: The Censor Within Censorship in Camouflage I: Free Markets and Free Expression Censorship in Camouflage II: McDonalds or McDocumenta: Artistic Freedom in a Global Economy (Panel) Censorship in Camouflage II: McDonalds or McDocumenta: Artistic Freedom in a Global Economy (Discussion) Censorship in Camouflage I: A Project about the Unexplored [...]
New York Regents Fail Test on First Amendment
The revelation that literary selections on the New York English Language Arts Regents exams have been routinely censored—without permission or acknowledgment—has outraged authors, educators, librarians, publishers, parents, and many others.
The Long And The Short Of It
NCAC salutes New York parent Jeanne Heifetz, for her initiative and persistence in documenting the censorship on the New York English Language Arts Regents exams.
A Scholar’s View of the Regents Censorship Controversy
Letter from Cathy Popkin, Lionel Trilling Professor in the Humanities at Columbia University, to NYS Education Commissioner Richard Mills on 5/16/02
Views: Harmful to Minors: The Perils of Protecting Children from Sex
There are many reasons to be concerned about the controversy over Judith Levine's forthcoming book, Harmful to Minors: The Perils of Protecting Children from Sex (U. Minn. Press, 2002). It is not only the calls to censor the book that are alarming, but the threat to censor sex education and discussion of teen sexuality.
Government Financing of Abstinence-Only Education
Government Financing of Abstinence-Only Education Recently, the Commerce Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 4122. If passed into law, H.R. 4122 would extend federal and matching state financing for abstinence-only education for another five years. The measure restricts the information that students may be provided to be consistent with the "abstinence-until marriage" message. H.R. 4122 will soon [...]
National Coalition Against Censorship Hails Recent U.S. Supreme Court Ruling as Victory for Free Speech
For Immediate Release April 16, 2002 New York, NY The National Coalition Against Censorship praised today's 6-3 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition that struck down the Child Pornography Prevention Act of 1996 as overbroad and unconstitutional. The statute that was struck down by the ruling prohibited "any visual depiction, including any photograph, [...]
Letter to University of Minnesota President Mark Udoff About Judith Levine’s Book, Harmful to Minors
We write to express concern over the decision by the University of Minnesota to establish an external review committee to evaluate publishing criteria and processes at the University of Minnesota Press.
Jailed Journalist Wins PEN Award
Vanessa Leggett, the freelance journalist who was jailed in Texas for refusing to give government prosecutors confidential source material, is the recipient of the prestigious 2002 PEN/Newman's Own First Amendment Award, which carries a $25,000 prize. The award cites Leggett "as a powerful example of personal conviction and courage in the face of the most extreme pressure and a hero in the effort to preserve investigative freedom for writers and journalists in the U.S."
Tattered Cover Wins
In a victory for book buyers' right to remain anonymous "and free from governmental interference," the Colorado Supreme Court ruled that the Tattered Cover bookstore need not reveal customer records since there was no compelling need for the information.
Youth Respond to Not In Front Of The Children
Teens have found Not in Front of the Children educational and empowering. Here are some e-mails received by the author ...
Letter to President Bush on Funding for Abstinence-Only Programs
Letters Letter to President Bush on Funding for Abstinence-Only Programs NCAC signed on to the following letter, which was drafted by Advocates for Youth: February 7, 2002 President George W. Bush The White House Washington, DC 20500 Dear President Bush: The undersigned organizations, committed to responsible sexuality education for young people that includes age-appropriate, medically accurate information about both abstinence [...]
NCAC Applauds Decision To Return Judy Blume’s “Forever” To Elgin, Illinois Middle School Libraries’ Shelves
Today, the National Coalition Against Censorship applauded the decision of the Elgin Area School District U-46 to return Judy Blume's "Forever" to the shelves of the district's middle school libraries. The decision to reinstate "Forever" came as the result of a 5-2 vote by the School District U-46 Board on January 22, 2002.
Catholic League Objects to Traditional Figurines in Art Installation
Always on the alert for "offensive" art work, the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights has once more found a target: the work of Spanish artist Antoni Miralda exhibited at Copia, Napa Valley's new food, wine and arts museum. The exhibition, "Active Ingredients," which runs through April 22, features specially commissioned food-related works by seven contemporary artists. Miralda, a [...]
Some Questions Raised By The Latest National Endowment for the Arts Grant Making Decisions
After delaying it for approval by its acting chair, Richard Martin, the National Endowment for the Arts rejected funding for performance artist William Pope.L's eRacism retrospective exhibition. The exhibition was scheduled to take place in 2002 at the Institute of Contemporary Art at the Maine College of Art. MECA?the lead applicant in a consortium proposal which also included two other [...]
How About An Old-Fashioned Book Burning
Kudos to Ida Deyton and her crusade to remove Harry Potter from our schools. To further her agenda, I propose that we have an old-fashioned book burning—a real night of family fun!
Not In Front of the Children, by Marjorie Heins
Winner of the American Library Association’s 2002 Eli M. Oboler Award for the Best Work in the Area of Intellectual Freedom Not In Front Of The Children: "Indecency," Censorship, and the Innocence of Youth by Marjorie Heins Published by Hill and Wang 2001 Now in paperback! Purchase from Powells: From Huckleberry Finn to Harry Potter, from Internet filters to the [...]
Jo List – NCAC Co-Chair Dies
Jo List, a passionate supporter of the First Amendment and NCAC's Co-Chair for the past ten years, died on November 17 in Connecticut. Jo was a committed civil libertarian who worked to advance fundamental human rights—freedom of speech and religion, racial equality, environmental issues and peace.
Critique of Pediatrician’s Statement on Media Violence
We write to ask you to reconsider the AAP's November 2001 Policy Statement on Media Violence. It contains many misstatements about social-science research on media effects. Your organization's views about the mass media's impact on children are entitled to respect, but professional opinion should not be confused with scientific evidence.
Press Release: Scholars Ask AAP to Reconsider Media Violence Misstatements
A group of media scholars asked the American Academy of Pediatrics today to reconsider its November 2001 Policy Statement on Media Violence because of its "many misstatements about social-science research on media effects." The scholars cited both the Policy Statement's factual inaccuracies and its "overall distortions and failure to acknowledge many serious questions about the interpretation of media violence studies."
Protest And Patriotism: Not Either-Or
While military tribunals raise questions primarily about criminal justice, they also threaten First Amendment principles, rights and values. They can effectively "gag" defendants, undermine the ability of the press to report and the public's right to know about critical events, and shield the government from scrutiny—all principles that are basic to democracy.
Fatgirl Painting Removed
The Hyde Park post office started hosting the Artist of the Month program, giving local artists the opportunity to display their work for an entire month in a place that draws hundreds of people per day. The works were on display in a special window in the building's lobby.
Wait a Minute Mr. Postman: Restore Post Office Art!
Dear Mr Viola, We are writing to urge you to restore the Artist of the Month program to the Hyde Park Post Office. It is our understanding that you cancelled the year-old program as a way to deal with one complaint regarding Fatgirl, the painting chosen to present the work of Audrey Francis, November Artist of the Month. There are [...]
Remarks Delivered to NYLA
THE KNOWLEDGE PROJECT While censorship in the fields of art and politics has traditionally garnered the preponderance of public attention, the last few years has brought increased scrutiny of First Amendment concerns in the area of scientific research. A scientist's right to communicate and disseminate his or her research findings, however, is a form of speech that is no less [...]
Viewpoint Discrimination Suit Settled in San Antonio
News: San Antonio's city council has agreed to pay the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center $550,000 for cutting the group's funding four years ago. The money is part of a settlement reached in the center's "viewpoint discrimination" lawsuit, which was prompted by a previous council's actions. Negotiations began in May to end the lawsuit after U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia [...]
LA Art Center Pulls Paintings of Cops Dancing with Gang Members
The National Coalition Against Censorship, the ACLU of Southern California, The First Amendment Project of Oakland, CA and a large number of local and national artists announced that they are protesting the removal of Alex Donis' exhibition, "WAR," from the Watts Towers Art Center. Alex Donis, WAR. Shadow and Sergeant Kooney (oil and enamel on plexi) The show, which [...]
Terrorist Attacks Put Academic Freedom to the Test
They've held blood drives, staged unity vigils, and offered scholarships to the children of the victims. Clearly, in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, colleges—along with the rest of the nation—have shown an unparalleled generosity. They've also exhibited stunning intolerance.
Press Release: NCAC’S Free Expression Policy Project Releases Survey Showing Internet Filters Are Hopelessly Flawed
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE New York, October 2, 2001 Internet filters are hopelessly flawed, according to a comprehensive survey released today by the National Coalition Against Censorship's Free Expression Policy Project. Internet Filters: A Public Policy Report offers a complete, easy-to-use summary of existing tests, studies, and reports on the over—and under—blocking propensities of the major programs and products designed to [...]
Democracies Die Behind Closed Doors
In an elegant tribute to open government, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the government may not conduct secret deportation hearings without proving the need for secrecy—a decision which expands First Amendment rights of access to the press and the public. The case, Detroit Free Press v. Ashcroft, was brought by four Michigan newspapers and Congressman John Conyers, Jr. who are seeking to attend the deportation hearings brought against Ann Arbor resident Rabih Haddad.
The First Amendment in the Shadow of Terrorism
Here in New York, there were a few sources of comfort in the weeks after September 11: victims, firefighters, police and other rescue workers heroically risked, and some lost, their lives for others. Mayor Rudolph Giuliani (even though he's not so hot on the First Amendment) provided notable leadership to New Yorkers coping with unprecedented disaster.
Male Nude Proves Too Realistic for California Art League
The Elsie May Goodwin Art Center, run by the Stockton Art League, rejected a sculpture by one of its members—Vincent Mazo—because the piece was too anatomically explicit. The gallery has no policy excluding nudes, but, according to Aleen Gall, the gallery manager, the nudes normally exhibited are female and show no genitals. Interesting, I thought genitals were a part of [...]