Your Right to Read Reading Challenge!
Information Packet
Contents:







Challenge Outline
Registration Form
Basic Information Your Rights and Censorship
Essay Outline
Essay Rubric
Reading Log
Top 2013 Challenged Books
Your Right to Read Reading Challenge!
Challenge Outline:











The Challenge begins September 8th at 12:00 pm
Pick up your Information Packet
Fill out your Registration Form
Read 2 books of your choice (School reading does not count)
Log your 2 books in your Reading Log
Research and write your 1-2 page essay
Essay Question: The first amendment protects your right to read and have
access to information of all kinds. Explain why someone would try to
censor your reading and/or information and why it is or is not important to
protect your intellectual freedom. (Essay outline and information in
packet)
Hand in all your work at the library by Saturday, November 8th at 5:00 pm
The winner will be announced on Saturday, November 22nd!
All essay entries will be allowed to choose a prize from the YA Prize Box.
Grand prize is an iPad Mini!
For more information and questions, please contact the Teen
Programmer, Nicole, at the Pawling Library.
Phone: 845-855-3444
Email: teen@pawlinglibrary.org
Your Right to Read Reading Challenge!
Registration Form
DATE:
NAME:
ADRESS:
CITY/STATE:
ZIP:
PHONE:
EMAIL ADRESS:
AGE:
GRADE:
PARENT’S NAME:
I HAVE READ THE RULES AND UNDERSTAND THEM
Your Right to Read Reading Challenge!
READING LOG
Two books I chose to read:
1)
Title:
_____________
Author:
_____________
Did you enjoy this book?_________________________________________________________________
2)
Title:
_____________
Author:
_____________
Did you enjoy this book?_________________________________________________________________
Your Right to Read Reading Challenge!
Information: Your Rights and Censorship
Some Very Basic Information from The American Library Association
(www.ala.org)
The First Amendment of the Constitution of the U.S.A.:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of
the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of
grievances.
What Is Intellectual Freedom?
Intellectual freedom is the right of every individual to both seek and receive information
from all points of view without restriction. It provides for free access to all expressions of
ideas through which any and all sides of a question, cause or movement may be explored.
Why Is Intellectual Freedom Important?
Intellectual freedom is the basis for our democratic system. We expect our people to be
self-governors. But to do so responsibly, our citizenry must be well-informed. Libraries
provide the ideas and information, in a variety of formats, to allow people to inform
themselves.
Intellectual freedom encompasses the freedom to hold, receive and disseminate ideas.
What Is Censorship?
Censorship is the suppression of ideas and information that certain persons—individuals,
groups or government officials—find objectionable or dangerous. It is no more
complicated than someone saying, “Don’t let anyone read this book, or buy that
magazine, or view that film, because I object to it! ” Censors try to use the power of the
state to impose their view of what is truthful and appropriate, or offensive and
objectionable, on everyone else. Censors pressure public institutions, like libraries, to
suppress and remove from public access information they judge inappropriate or
dangerous, so that no one else has the chance to read or view the material and make up
their own minds about it. The censor wants to prejudge materials for everyone.
Your Right to Read Reading Challenge!
The Essay
Question: The first amendment protects your right to read and have access to
information of all kinds. Explain why someone would try to censor your reading
and/or information. Then argue why it is or is not important to protect our
intellectual freedom.
Paper Requirements
 Answer all parts of the question
 Support your arguments with evidence, sources or examples
 Two Pages MAX
 Single Spaced
 12pt Font
 Name, Date, and title of paper on top
 Be creative
 Cite any resource you quote or use on a separate piece of paper
Scoring:
 The highest scoring paper wins.
 The paper will be graded according to the Common Core 9th grade writing
rubric for argumentative essays.
 8th grade students will be scored by the “Skilled” column with 5 points
automatically added to their score.
 7th and 6th grade will be scored by the “Proficient” column. If you are in 6th
or 7th grade you will have an automatic 10 pts added to your overall score.
There is a max score of 25 points that can be earned by each student.
Your Right to Read Reading Challenge!
2013 Most Frequently Challenged Books
Out of 307 challenges as reported by the Office for Intellectual Freedom
1. Captain Underpants (series), by Dav Pilkey
Reasons: Offensive language, unsuited for age group, violence
2. The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison
Reasons: Offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, violence
3. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
Reasons: Drugs/alcohol/smoking, offensive language, racism, sexually
explicit, unsuited to age group
4. Fifty Shades of Grey, by E.L. James
Reasons: Nudity, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit,
unsuited to age group
5. The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
Reasons: Religious viewpoint, unsuited to age group
6. A Bad Boy Can Be Good for A Girl, by Tanya Lee Stone
Reasons: Drugs/alcohol/smoking, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit
7. Looking for Alaska, by John Green
Reasons: Drugs/alcohol/smoking, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
8. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: drugs/alcohol/smoking, homosexuality, sexually explicit, unsuited to
age group
9. Bless Me Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya
Reasons: Occult/Satanism, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually
explicit
10. Bone (series), by Jeff Smith
Reasons: Political viewpoint, racism, violence