THE NATURE OF CENSORSHIP

Themes for discussion: The First Amendment. What does it mean? Why do we/they censor? Who controls our minds? Do we control the way we speak? Who has a story to tell? Whose stories are permitted to be told? Who interprets those stories? What are my "family values"? Book banning in schools; censoring textbooks and literature in American schools. Case study: The American Family Association and Donald Wildmon. Students play censors-- finding the offensive in fairy tales. Aesopian language--how can an author avoid censors? Films: "The Hand" (Czechoslovakia) "The Interrogation" (Poland, 1982)

Thursday, September 4
Read the course outline and course requirements very carefully.
Read: Toni Cade Bambara, "Raymond's Run" (xerox). Contemplate the "Reflections" questions at the end of the Bambara story. How would you respond? What kinds of discussions do you think such questions would provoke among a group of 13-year olds? How would the parents of these kids feel about having their children discuss such issues?
Investigate WWW: Read the Americanc Library Association’s page on Challenged and Banned Books at
http://www.ala.org/bbooks/challeng.html#top
Video: Watch in the AV Library (Third Floor, Christian Johnson Bldg.), “Censorship or Selection: Choosing Books for Public Schools” (LB 3047 .C46 1992; the video is approximately 60 minutes; go in small groups of up to four)

Tuesday, September 9
Read: Fish (31-79), "Humanist Manifesto" (xerox) and American Family Association pamphlet.
Phone: Home! Begin discussion with your family members concerning your moral values for your essay:

*Essay (due Thursday, September 11) "My Family Values" (2 typed pages; bring two copies to class). Call home and chat with mom and dad (or whomever instilled such values as you may possess!) about the family's morals. (I would recommend calling parents a few days in advance to give them time to ponder this. It is not an easy question, nor will the answer be easy. The request will undoubtedly offer you an opportunity for interesting discourse with your family.) Ask them to summarize their "values," that is, what were/are the fundamental moral principles which guide(d) them in raising you, which they sought to instill in you. How did they go about it? How successful were they (your opinion and theirs)? What other factors and influences contributed to your personal system of values? In particular: Inquire if there were /are any kinds of materials (books, magazines, films, television, etc.) forbidden in the house? If so, why? If not--really? The prohibition may not have been explicitly stated-- try to see if a form of implicit censorship was in force. How did this censorship reflect the moral values in operation in the house? In your essay you want to codify your family's and your own thinking on morality. What are your parameters? (Everyone has parameters!) It will be helpful to be as specific as possible. Provide anecdotes that reveal the family moral code in operation.

* Thursday, September 11--America, Morality and the First Amendment
Contemplate: the significance of the First Amendment. Pay particular attention to the context of the statement concerning “free speech.”
*Write: Family Values essay
In class: Bring two copies of your essay to class. In small group and class discussions we will attempt to establish the spectrum of views represented in the. We will collectively devise a morality/censorship scale for the class-- and we will attempt rewriting the First Amendment (if necessary) to accommodate our unique needs. (Keep in mind: We will respect each other's views, although we can try to challenge them!)

* Tuesday, September 16
Read: Fish (80-138)
*Mini-research task (e-mail me your findings): 1) Who was Aesop? 2) What is the function of fables? 3)What is "Aesopian language?"
In class: Viewing of short Czech film, "The Hand."
Film: “The Interrogation” 4 PM and 8 PM (Science Aud.) (You will have a written assignment inspired by this film-- see “Friday, September 19”).