US adds books on poverty and class to dangerous reading list

[BandWagon]

Interesting article from the Guardian:
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/oct/21/us-adds-poverty-to-dangerous-reading-lists
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/oct/21/us-adds-poverty-to-dangerous-reading-lists

Quote:
Late last month, for the 32nd year in a row, Banned Books Week was marked across the US. Spearheaded by the American Library Association’s (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom, the annual salute to the freedom to read has become a fixture. It aims to counterbalance perennial challenges to the content of books and efforts to get them banned, usually from schools and libraries.

The ALA collects information on which books are objected to and reports on prominent recurring themes that tend to generate moral or ideological indignation. Subjects such as religion, race, gender, sexuality and allegations of sexually explicit content or offensive language frequently top the list.

More worrying, however, is the recent rise in efforts to get books banned that cover poverty and social class. At a time when rising inequality and the demonisation of poorer people (both in the UK and the US) is commonplace, such attempts to remove books that depict the reality of life for people who are struggling should concern us all.


Pretty worrying, imho.

 

[el-ahrairah]

that's a really disingenuous article.

no books were actually banned as far as the article says, and those books that were attempted to be "banned" were targeted by individuals, not the state.

but the headline and the article imply that the US govt is attempting to ban books on poverty, race and class. thank goodness our neo-liberal political rulers don't try and do that, aren't we lucky we live in a free country.

one for the down the pan thread, i reckon.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

The US doesn't ban books, they have a constitution that ensures this doesn't happen.

England on the other hand, I bought a copy of Spycatcher* at JFK airport





*Was very boring.

 

[Greebo]

<snip> *Was very boring.

Wasn't it just? The song summed the book up in far less time too.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

Misleading article, misleading title.

The ALA Banned Books list exists to promote reading of the books on the list. No one is banning anything with the creation of the list. If you go to a library in the US, you'll usually find a front table with a display of those books, practically screaming "check me out!"

 

[8ball]

The ALA Banned Books list exists to promote reading of the books on the list. No one is banning anything with the creation of the list. If you go to a library in the US, you'll usually find a front table with a display of those books, practically screaming "check me out!"

I expect this works better to suppress political dissent than banning them ever could.

 

[andysays]

Misleading article, misleading title.

The ALA Banned Books list exists to promote reading of the books on the list. No one is banning anything with the creation of the list. If you go to a library in the US, you'll usually find a front table with a display of those books, practically screaming "check me out!"

So is there any sense in which these books are banned, or is even the ALA Banned Books list a misnomer?

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

So is there any sense in which these books are banned, or is even the ALA Banned Books list a misnomer?

They're attempts (successful or not) by patrons or parents to have books removed from a local library:

http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned

Various lists:

http://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks

Mostly what it is, is naked manipulation to get people to read on the theory that if tell someone they can't do something, that's the first thing they'll go out and do.

 

[8ball]

They're attempts (successful or not) by patrons or parents to have books removed from a local library:

http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned

Various lists:

http://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks

Mostly what it is, is naked manipulation to get people to read on the theory that if tell someone they can't do something, that's the first thing they'll go out and do.

I take it this explains the Twilight saga.

 

[andysays]

They're attempts (successful or not) by patrons or parents to have books removed from a local library:

http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned

Various lists:

http://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks

Mostly what it is, is naked manipulation to get people to read on the theory that if tell someone they can't do something, that's the first thing they'll go out and do.

Yeah, that's what I thought.

So are you saying it's basically a marketing exercise (by who - libraries, publishers?) to make reading seem a bit edgy?

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

Yeah, that's what I thought.

So are you saying it's basically a marketing exercise (by who - libraries, publishers?) to make reading seem a bit edgy?

Yes, its a conspiracy by an evil professional association of librarians to get kids to read. The next thing you know we'll be insisting that they eat their veggies. Its creeping socialism, I tell ya!

 

[andysays]

Yes, its a conspiracy by an evil professional association of librarians to get kids to read. The next thing you know we'll be insisting that they eat their veggies. Its creeping socialism, I tell ya!

your words, not mine

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

your words, not mine

Of course, I work for a book publishing company.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

I take it this explains the Twilight saga.

There is no explanation for Twilight.

 

[DotCommunist]

you're an immortal and you decide to spend your endless life in the bear pit that is high school?

also, immortal nonce

 

[Hocus Eye.]

The title of the post is misleading. It is not the US that is to say the state that compiles the list but the the libraries association which is not a government body.

 

[andysays]

Of course, I work for a book publishing company.

So you're one of those literacy pimps we've heard all about

 

[DotCommunist]

The title of the post is misleading. It is not the US that is to say the state that compiles the list but the the libraries association which is not a government body.

thanks for clearing that up hocus. Where would we be without you

 

[Hocus Eye.]

The ALA said:

"The ALA promotes the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one's opinions even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those viewpoints to all who wish to read them.

A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials. Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others. As such, they are a threat to freedom of speech and choice."


Thanks for you drole comment DotCommunist but you must have seen the numerous threads that have got out of hand because of people misreading an OP and then others picking up the same wrong scent.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

So you're one of those literacy pimps we've heard all about

Yep. I'm a sad example of what happens when the ALA is allowed to corrupt the youth of America.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

you're an immortal and you decide to spend your endless life in the bear pit that is high school?

also, immortal nonce

The only reason I'd go back to high school is to rip their heads off and put them on pikes.

 

[Idris2002]

The only reason I'd go back to high school is to rip their heads off and put them on pikes.

I am intrigued by your ideas, and interested in subscribing to your newsletter.

 

[sim667]

*warning - anecdote*

I had a student yesterday about books after she found a list of banned books on wikipedia

"Sir, why is mein kampf banned" - So i explained in a very teachery way (I've now been informed its not actually banned in the uk anymore?)

"Sir, why is the anarchists cook book banned" - So in a very teachery way I explained.

You could see the cogs whirring in her head for a few minutes and then:

"Sir, why isn't 50 shades of grey banned?"

 

[likesfish]

Its school boards that appear to want to ban books see harry potter promotes devil worship etc.
Spycatcher was dire brought my copy in sweden

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

Its school boards that appear to want to ban books see harry potter promotes devil worship etc.
Spycatcher was dire brought my copy in sweden

Devil worship would be an improvement over the brand of religion found in some school boards.