Project-Int+Freedom

__ Reconsideration Procedure: __

1. Create a standing committee of library staff, administrators, and, if appropriate for situation, members of the community (patrons, faculty, staff) for the purpose of responding to all requests for reconsiderations. All formal requests for reconsideration must be made using a “Request for Reconsideration” form (see sample).



2. Request made verbally and not submitted on a form will not get a response from the administration. Letters requesting reconsideration of an item should be answered with a request to fill out the official form to ensure that all information is collected.

3. The standing committee will respond within a stated time period of receiving the request (3 days -2 weeks,) and discuss the request. A personal checklist:

a. Am I overreacting? b. Is the patron open to other suggestions? c. Is my answer to inflexible? d. Is my answer to simplistic? e. Am I getting to defensive? f. Have I respected the patron’s value system? g. Is my professional judgment being challenged? h. Have I identified the real issues?

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4. Inform the patron of the committee’s decision within a stated time period reaching a decision (1-2 days) and indicate the ability to appeal the decision if desired.

5. Do not discuss the request with anyone outside the staff, including press. Be silent rather than risk being insulted.

6. Keep in mind to discuss your library’s selection policy as it relates to the service philosophy of your library. Sometimes, the person may simple want to express his/her views and will be satisfied with this discussion. If you are unable to resolve the situation, refer the request to your administrator.

__ **Organizations to Restrict Assess** : __
__ American Family Association __ :

[|http://www.afa.net]
The American Family Association is a non-profit organization founded by Donald E Wildmon. The organization is one of the largest and most effective pro-family organizations in the country. The AFA uses all these ways to communicate a Christian voice throughout America. The American Family Association exists to motivate individuals to restore and instill a moral foundation. AFA is one of the largest and most effective pro-family organizations in the country with over two million online supporters. The American Family Radio is also a radio station which operates nearly 200 radio stations across the country.

 - [] <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tabstops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">Tis Web site was founded by a group of like-minded parents who are concerned with the content and quality of many of the books assigned as required reading in our public schools. It was a small group of parents who liked to read, and therefore made it a point to read many of the novels our children were assigned in school. Most of the concerns were about the age-appropriateness of much of the content. Since the formation of the group they have found that many of the books that our children are required to read contain sexually proactive material. Other books contain a ridiculous number of obscenities, and others promote immoral values. Parents feel that this influences their children and there are other award-winning and classic literature choices that meet course objectives that could of be used. They do not want their minor children required to read sexually-stimulating and vulgar books.

__ The Eagle Forum __ __<span style="color: blue; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 0px; overflow: hidden;">﻿ __

[|http://www.eagleforum.org] The eagle forum is a conservative and pro-family organization which men and women participate in the process of self-government and public policy making so that America will continue to be a land of individual liberty, respect for family values, public and private virtue. Eagle forum Education Reporter is a publication of Eagle Forum that supports parents’ rights in education, as well as reports what’s happening in education across the country. This organization is very active in that every reader should be reading age appropriate material with curriculum based education that is appropriate learning material.

__ Focus on the Family __

[|http://www.family.org] Focus on the Family is a global Christian ministry dedicated to helping families thrive. They provide resources for couples to build healthy marriages that reflect God’s design, and for parents to raise their children according to morals and values ground in biblical principles. The importance to teach children about God and his beautiful design for the family, protect themselves from the harmful influences of culture and equip them to make a greater difference in the lives of those around them. This site is a wonderful resource for parents to help in their commitment in raising faith filled children instilling the value of Christian living.

PABBIS –

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PABBIS- Parents Against Bad Books In Schools: This organization was formed to raise awareness of what books are being required to read as a part of the school curriculum and protect parents’ right to express their concerns in what literature they feel is appropriate.

PABBIS believes that parents have the rights to decide what their children will read. This organization is a believer that __True__ Freedom has boundaries in a healthy, orderly society. School boards have discretion to remove books that are pervasively vulgar or educationally unsuitable without violating the First Amendment.

**__ 20 Shocking Books and 35 More Shocking Books: __**
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These sites were created by parents of students at **Fayetteville** **School** who had concerns about the books that were available in the Fayetteville School Library. The library collection contained books available to students that were very explicit to what students were exposed to the point the parents felt the community needed to be informed to what the library was provided to their children. Many parents felt that many of the books contained inappropriate content for students. This site provides a excerpts from the books.

**__ Organizations to Open to the Rights to Read: __** =American Civil Liberties Union= =<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 140%; margin: 0in 0in 11.25pt;">[|http://www.aclu.org] = <span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 140%; margin: 0in 0in 11.25pt;">The ACLU is our nation's guardian of liberty, working daily in courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties that the Constitution and laws of the United States guarantee everyone in this country. <span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 140%; margin: 0in 0in 11.25pt;">These rights include: <span style="background: white; line-height: 140%; margin: 0in 0in 6pt 52.8pt; tabstops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"> · Your **First Amendment rights** - freedom of speech, association and assembly; freedom of the press, and freedom of religion. <span style="background: white; line-height: 140%; margin: 0in 0in 6pt 52.8pt; tabstops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"> · Your right to **equal protection under the law** - protection against unlawful discrimination. <span style="background: white; line-height: 140%; margin: 0in 0in 6pt 52.8pt; tabstops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"> · Your right to **due process** - fair treatment by the government whenever the loss of your liberty or property is at stake. <span style="background: white; line-height: 140%; margin: 0in 0in 6pt 52.8pt; tabstops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"> · Your right to **privacy** - freedom from unwarranted government intrusion into your personal and private affairs. <span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 140%; margin: 0in 0in 11.25pt;">The ACLU also works to extend rights to segments of our population that have traditionally been denied their rights, including people of color; women; lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender people; prisoners; and people with disabilities.

__ The American Library Association: __

[] The purpose of ALA as, “The object of the American Library Association shall be to promote library service and librarianship.” The stated mission is, “To provide leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.” Intellectual freedom is a basic right in a democratic society and a core value of the library profession. The American Library Association actively defends the right of library users to read, seek information, and speak freely as guaranteed by the First Amendment The association provides opportunities for the professional development and education of all library staff members and trustees; it promotes continuous, lifelong learning for all people through library and information services of every type.

__ Electronic Frontier Foundation __ __ ﻿ __

[] Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is the first line of defense. EFF broke new ground when it was founded in 1990 — well before the Internet was on most people's radar — and continues to confront cutting-edge issues defending free speech, privacy, innovation, and consumer rights today. From the beginning, EFF has championed the public interest in every critical battle affecting digital rights. Blending the expertise of lawyers, policy analysts, activists, and technologists, EFF achieves significant [|victories] on behalf of consumers and the general public. EFF fights for freedom primarily in the courts, bringing and defending lawsuits even when that means taking on the US government or large corporations. By mobilizing more than 61,000 concerned citizens through our [|Action Center], EFF beats back bad legislation. In addition to advising policymakers, EFF educates the press and public. EFF is a donor-funded nonprofit and depends on your support to continue successfully defending your digital rights. Litigation is particularly expensive; because two-thirds of our budget comes from individual donors, every contribution is critical to helping EFF fight — and win — more cases.

**__ National Coalition Against Censorship – __**



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= The Coalition = ** 50 national not-for-profit organizations ** make up the National Coalition Against Censorship. This organization represents the artistic, educational, religious and different individuals with the community. This organization main interest is of protecting First Amendment rights. The coalition founded the Kids’ Right to Read Project which provides support and guidance to students, teacher, parent, to insure free speech with school officials interested in challenging the content based removal of books from their school and libraries.

__ People for the American Way – __ = [|http://www.pfaw.org] = =<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; margin: auto 0in;">People For the American Way works to preserve the fundamental values that include the opportunity for all the freedom to learn; freedom of conscience; civic participation; community and family; societal and personal responsibility. Because People for the American Way believe in opportunity and the freedom to learn, they work very hard to defend against censorship in all it forms. = __ Important Components of a Selection Policy: __

Fayetteville, Arkansas

1. The school library media program plays a role in promoting freedom of speech.

The selection policy follows the same standards provided by the ALA. The library serves as a point of voluntary access to information and ideas and a learning environment. The school follows a media program with the principles of the Library Bill of Rights applying equally to all libraries, including the school library media programs.

2. The school library media specialist takes of the leadership role in promoting the principles of intellectual freedom.

This is done by providing resources and services that create the environment that students are free to select material using free will. I think this is a wonderful way to promote a very friendly atmosphere providing resources so that the library media specialist can work closely with teachers to encourage students to locate, evaluate and use their own interest while selecting materials.

3. School library media specialists cooperate with other individuals in building collections.

The library media specialist goal and objectives is to provide resources in school that are an integral component of the curriculum. I think this is a excellent way of providing resources that will support the intellectual growth, personal development, individual interest and recreational needs of all students.

4. Members of the school community involved in the collection development process.

The school library media specialist work with students, staff and community members to define what is appropriate for students or teachers to read, view, hear, or access to meet the curriculum objectives. I think this is a wonderful way to promote a collaborative environment to encourage staff, parents and students to be a part of the educational process. .

5. The school board adopts policies that guarantee students access to a broad range of ideas.

The collection policy is developed by the staff so that the review committee has a procedure to review any complaints made in reference to resources provided. The policy provides a procedure is a way staff can have a review of resources about which concerns have been raised by an individual patron. This is an excellent policy to have incase a concern has been raised. This way the policy states in writing that the school community will provide a fair hearing and assure that the proper procedures will be taken.

Blue Valley, Kansas

1. Learning resources shall be selected by the professional staff to help schools meet curricular, instructional, and assessment objectives.

I think it is very important in the selection process that the library media specialist involve the staff when selecting the resources to insure that they have input and suggestions to provide adequate objectives when meeting the curriculum needs.

2. Students along with their parents have the right to request an alternate selection if a novel assigned is not considered acceptable by the family for the student to read.

I especially think this is very important that parents have an active say when students are reading materials that maybe questions if they meet the guidelines for parental notification. I think a parent should be fully informed to make the decision if they want their children to be exposed to materials in the collection that they may think is questionable to use in the curriculum objective.

3. The District shall provide a wide range of quality learning resources for students to deliver, support, enrich, and assist in implementing the District’s educational program.

I think that the library media specialist should be very open to except materials or resources that have been added to the collection as a loan or a gift. These books however still need to meet the standards that all the other resources of the collection provide to meet the education needs of the students.

4. //Quality of Resource://

• Favorable reviews found in reputable professionally prepared sources. • Favorable recommendations based on preview and/or examination of materials by District certified staff. • Reputation and significance of the author, producer, and/or publisher. • Potential user appeal. • Artistic quality and/or literary style. • Quality and variety in format, content, and production.

• Overall strengths. These are excellent standard to use when selecting books for your collection. When making a selection always try and be open minded and make sure they meet the needs of a variety of patrons and their individual interest.

5. A person shall be deemed to have a conflict of interest.

Any selection policy should have a written policy incase there is a conflict of interest. It is very important that a patron has the right to voice their opinion and express his or her concerns.

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