Banned Books Week Virtual Read-Out

September 30 - October 6 marks this year's Banned Books Week.

Every year, individuals and groups who believe they know what is best for others challenge books, plays, poetry, short fiction, and art in an attempt to ban the works or restrict them. While this is common practice in many countries--often government or church mandated--in the United States, the right to exercise the freedom to read, view, and hear whatever we want is protected by the First Amendment. The American Library Association (ALA) promotes Banned Book Week every year to highlight works that have been challenged here in the U.S. Banned Books Week involves a number of activities meant to draw attention to censorship, including a "Read-Out" of banned material. Thanks to the internet, the Read-Out has gone digital this year. The Virtual Read-Out has a channel on YouTube. A sincere opponent to censorship, I have encouraged the students in all of my classes this semester to participate in the Read-Out, even if only for our class's benefit. ENG 120 (Composition) is reading The Hunger Games with me this semester--this YA novel has been challenged a number of times already. ENG 201 (Research and Applied Writing) has been challenged to create a video for any challenged or banned work. ENG 262 (World Lit. II) is a poetry and drama class, so students will create Read-Outs of challenged or banned plays and poetry. Even if they don't submit to the Virtual project, students will post them to class blogs so other students can view them.

What are you doing this week?