Intellectual Freedom

Welcome to The Internet School Library Media Center (ISLMC) Intellectual Freedom Page. You'll find topics related to censorship, library policies, Supreme Court cases and other information. The ISLMC is a meta-site where librarians, teachers, parents and students can preview Internet based information. You can search the ISLMC, use an index or sitemap to locate other information. Page updated 9/13/99

Related pages: Policy Manuals for School Libraries

[Freedom to Read] [Intellectual Freedom] [Banned Books] [Supreme Court] [Other Court Cases] [Libraries & Filtering Software]

Freedom to Read

Freedom to Read Foundation News
Newsletters; from SIRS
American Library Association. Freedom to Read Foundation
The Students' Right to Read. NCTE
Position statement from National Council of Teachers of English.
Single copies free. Multiple copies can be purchased for a nominal charge.
NCTE Guidelines and Position Statements
National Council of Teachers of English provide statements on
"Statement on Censorship and Professional Guidelines",
"Guidelines for Selection of Materials in English Language
Arts programs", "Guidelines for Judging and Selecting Elementary Language
Arts Textbooks". Not Right to Read, but useful

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Intellectual Freedom

American Library Association. Office for Intellectual Freedom Home Page
Documents, as Library Bill of Rights; Interpretations
of the Library Bill of Rights; Code of Ethics;
First Amendment Advocates, Cases, Resources; Celebrating and
Protecting the Freedom to Read; Intellectual Freedom Statements;
also links to Advocacy Groups, as Intellectual Freedom Committee
Intellectual Freedom Round Table; more
Intellectual Freedom Round Table. American Library Association
The Round Table supports freedom of access and information
in libraries, including librarians who are involved in censorship issues. The
IFRT also supports three awards, Eli M. Oboler Memorial Award,
John Phillip Immroth Memorial Award and the SIRS State
and Regional Intellectual Freedom Award.
American Library Association
Resources related to libraries and intellectual freedom
Blue Ribbon Campaign for Online Free Speech
Good source of issues. Organization "is a respected voice
for the rights of users of online technologies."
American Library Association. Intellectual Freedom Manual. 5th ed.
ALA ordering information. Includes Table of Contents
Texas Library Association. Intellectual Freedom Handbook
Virginia Library Association. Intellectual Freedom Manual
The Freedom Forum
Foundation dedicated to free press, free speech and free spirit for
all people; successor to Gannett Foundation
American Booksellers Assoc. Update.
Links to various sites related to current happenings in challenges
to free speech. Also links to excerpts from ABA Free Expression Newsletter.
National Coalition Against Censorship
News, organizational objectives, links.
SIRS Intellectual Freedom Award
Information on the SIRS Award which is administered through
professional associations such as Association for Educational Communications and
Technology and the American Library Association. Site includes links
to associations which sponsor intellectual freedom awards, both state
and national.
Cyber-Rights Home Page
Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility Home Page;
Good source of issues related to information in Cyberspace
Intellectual Freedom and Censorship of the Internet
From Tallahassee Free-Net. Issues on intellectual freedom, free
speech and censorship of the Internet.
Lessons in (Not So) Free Speech for Secondary Students - Current Events - Law
From the Mining Company; good resources on students' free speech resources
ACLU Freedom Network. Students Rights
What Johnny Can't Read; Censorship in American Libraries

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Banned Books

Banned Books Week
American Library Association. September 23-30, 2000
ALA. Challenged and Banned Books Lists
What is the difference between Challenged and Banned?
Lists of libraries' most challenged books and authors in 1999
(Harry Potter most challenged). From ALA
ACLU. Banned Books Week Resources
Their list of "75 greatest hits" with court cases; other links;
some support material though older at Banned Books Week
Banned Books On-Line Exhibit
Review of banned books, past and present. From University
of Pennysylvania
Banned Books On-line Exhibit
(Older site); Discussion of authors and books in America which have been banned.
Most Frequently Banned Books in the US in the 1990s
List includes 1990 to 1992
National Coalition Against Censorship
Includes online help for individuals and libraries facing
censorhip of materials; includes a "spot check" of books
in trouble.
Oregon Intellectual Freedom Clearinghouse
Under Intellectual Freedom, gives index of challenged book
titles in Oregon Public Libraries; reports from the clearinghouse.

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Supreme Court

Reno, Attorney General of the United States, et al. v. American Civil Liberties Union et al
From ACLU. Provisions of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 Which sought
to protect minors from harmful material on the Internet. Justices'
opinions included.
Intellectual Freedom and Censorship of the Internet
From Tallahassee Free-Net. Excellent source of information on
the Communications Decency Act (CDA) and Telecommunications Act of 1996.
Supreme Court
Information on the justices; historical information; cases. From: Courier-Journal.
Supreme Court Cases
By party name. From Cornell University.
See Tinker v Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969). Supreme Court Cases
Use index at the Cornell site above to locate the Tinker et al case.
Susannah Bright v the Los Angeles Unified School District (1976)
From Virginia's PEN. The Red Tide case. Tested right of school
administration to suppress an underground student newspaper.
Board of Education v Pico (1982)
Use index at the Cornell site to locate the Board of
Education...Removal of library books from school library
Hazelwood School District v Kuhlmeier (1986)
Under Letter "H". Articles deleted from school newspaper by the
school principal.
Edwards vs Aguillard
Louisiana's "Creationism Act" which forbid the teaching of the theory of
evolution in public schools.

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Libraries & Filtering Software

See Also Filtering Utilities (Software)

ALA. Filters and Filtering

Statements and extensive links
Internet School Filtering Act (S. 1619)
Text; 105th Congress. 2nd Session. From Electronic Privacy Information Center;
ALA statement at McCain Introduces Internet School Filtering Act
Tech Law Journal Home Page
Articles, including Sen. Santorum Introduces Filtering Bill, 8/15/99;
Kathleen R. Library Filtering Appeal Proceeds, 8/14/99.
Filters and the Public Library: A Legal and Policy Analysis
By Mary Minow. Analysis of legal and other issues.
The Internet Advocate
Guide for public or school librarians, teachers or
administrators providing Internet access to young patrons.
The Internet Filter Assessment Project
Commercial page for the book; project led by librarian
Karen Schneider
Resolution on the Use of Internet Filters. American Library Association
Adopted by ALA Council, 1997
Statement on Internet Filtering. ALA/Intellectual Freedom Committee

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Other Court Cases

Here are a few other selected court cases dealing with academic freedom and related issues.

NEA Today: Rights Watch. Nov. 1998

Issues: Failure to follow school policy related to showing R-rated
films in the classroom; allowing students to write and perform
skits using street language; selection of a controversial play for
students performing in a state competition.
ALA v. Pataki: Krug Declaration
U. S. District court for the Southern District of New York. Statement
here of ALA brief filed in support of plaintiffs' motion for preliminary
injunctive relief against sections of 1996 N. Y. Laws 600..penalties for supplying
indecent materials to children via Internet
NY CDA Home. ALA v. Pataki: The Challenge to New York's Internet Censorship Law
Summary page from the ACLU

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Site Administrator: Inez L. Ramsey, James Madison University
E-mail: ramseyil@jmu.edu