Sharla
asked
Laurie Halse Anderson:
What is your opinion on censorship in general? I know that Speak caused censorship controversy, but what about other books or movies that deal with topics in different ways?
Laurie Halse Anderson
To live in a country like the USA which recognizes the freedom of expression means that things will be written and created which you will not agree with, things that you may find offensive or dangerous. Or that you think are simply not well-written or performed.
You have the choice - for yourself or your family, if you are a parent - to not watch, or listen to, or read, or look at these things that you do not like. It is not the government's job to make those decisions for you. It is also not your job to make decisions for other people about what they should be reading or watching, although you certainly have the right and ability to let the world know your opinion.
Most censorship arises because adults do not agree about the age at which teens should be allowed to read about and discuss sex. It is rare in America to see censorship efforts that target violence. It's usually about the sex.
I totally understand this. I also know that there is an ENORMOUS amount of trauma, depression, and damaged souls in this country because teens lacked honest information about sexuality, sexual situations, and how to navigate the social minefields that begin in middle school. Our kids suffer because the adults won't talk to them about sex. Our kids suffer because the adults in their lives never themselves had adults who would talk about these things, either.
This is changing, thank goodness. Slowly.
Again, most of my experience comes from seeing parents demanding that books not be taught in schools, or shelved in libraries. I call BS on that. Parents get to choose for their children, bottom line. Schools have highly trained educators whose job it is to choose books that suit the needs of their students. In every school I know of, parents are allowed to request that their child read a different book, if there is a title that the parents cannot deal with. That's fair. What it not fair is for any one parent to dictate curriculum or purchasing decision based on their opinion.
What do you think?
You have the choice - for yourself or your family, if you are a parent - to not watch, or listen to, or read, or look at these things that you do not like. It is not the government's job to make those decisions for you. It is also not your job to make decisions for other people about what they should be reading or watching, although you certainly have the right and ability to let the world know your opinion.
Most censorship arises because adults do not agree about the age at which teens should be allowed to read about and discuss sex. It is rare in America to see censorship efforts that target violence. It's usually about the sex.
I totally understand this. I also know that there is an ENORMOUS amount of trauma, depression, and damaged souls in this country because teens lacked honest information about sexuality, sexual situations, and how to navigate the social minefields that begin in middle school. Our kids suffer because the adults won't talk to them about sex. Our kids suffer because the adults in their lives never themselves had adults who would talk about these things, either.
This is changing, thank goodness. Slowly.
Again, most of my experience comes from seeing parents demanding that books not be taught in schools, or shelved in libraries. I call BS on that. Parents get to choose for their children, bottom line. Schools have highly trained educators whose job it is to choose books that suit the needs of their students. In every school I know of, parents are allowed to request that their child read a different book, if there is a title that the parents cannot deal with. That's fair. What it not fair is for any one parent to dictate curriculum or purchasing decision based on their opinion.
What do you think?
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