Censorship Today

Hello everybody,

next lesson, I would like you to discuss certain aspects of censorship. The following tasks should help you to prepare yourselves for the discussion.

TASKS

1. Have a look at the “top ten most frequently challenged books” of the last years. You should also study  the “banned and challenged classics”. Which books and/or authors do you know? Use the following link:

   http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/index.cfm

2. There have been attempts to ban  J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books in classrooms and in school libraries. Find out the arguments for such a challenge. What could be arguments against a ban? You may use the following links:

   http://childrensbooks.about.com/cs/censorship/a/banharry.htm

   http://www.speakout.com/activism/issue_briefs/1319b-1.html

   http://www.landoverbaptist.net/showthread.php?t=21782

   http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1735623.stm

   http://www.infoplease.com/spot/banned-harry.html

   http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15127464

3. Some people also think that the Twilight series should be banned. Have a look at the following links and make a list of arguments for and against such a ban.

   http://thesegolilypad.blogspot.com/2008/09/banning-twilight-series.html

   http://www.keepingthedoor.com/2009/09/13/australian-schools-ban-twilight-series/

   http://blogs.babble.com/strollerderby/2009/09/14/schools-begin-banning-twilight/

4. There is a movement called “creationism” in the USA, which would like to ban the teaching of evolution from science curricula at schools.  Use the following links and make a list of arguments for and against such a ban.

   http://atheism.about.com/od/evolutionreligionreligious/a/EvolutionSchoolKansas.htmhttp://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_do_scientists_believe_in_the_Big_Bang_Theory

   http://www.newsweek.com/id/224079

   http://www.thebulletin.org/web-edition/columnists/laura-h-kahn/why-evolution-should-be-taught-public-schools

   http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1197348/Teach-primary-children-evolution-dont-mistake-Fred-Flintstone-scientific-fact.html

   http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_were_the_sources_of_evidence_Darwin_used_for_his_theory_of_evolution

   http://www.commongroundcommonsense.org/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t46054.html

   http://www.askstudent.com/religion/evolution-shouldnt-be-taught-in-public-schools/

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