NCTE offers advice, helpful documents, and other support at no cost to teachers faced with challenges to literary works, films and videos, drama productions, or teaching methods. NCTE’s Anti-Censorship efforts are currently only funded to provide a public service to members and nonmembers when they are facing challenges to literary works, films, and videos.
Facing a challenge?
Report A Censorship Incident - to report an incident, or call Millie Davis, NCTE Senior Developer, Affiliated Groups and Public Outreach, directly at 800-369-6283, ext. 3634.
The materials below have been identified by teachers as most useful in preventing and combating censorship.
Students' Right to Read
Gives model procedures for responding to challenges, including "Citizen's Request for Reconsideration of a Work."
Guidelines for Selection of Materials in English Language Arts Programs
Presents criteria and procedures that ensure thoughful teacher selection of novels and other materials.
Rationales for Teaching Challenged Books
Rich resource section included table of contents of NCTE's Rationales for Commonly Challenged Books CD-ROM, an alphabetical list of other rationales on file, the SLATE Starter Sheet on "How to Write a Rationale," and sample rationales for Bridge to Terabithia and The Color Purple.
Guidelines for Dealing with Censorship of Nonprint Materials
Offers principles and practices regarding nonprint materials.
Defining and Defending Instructional Methods
Gives rationales for various English language arts teaching methods and other defenses against common challenges to them.
NCTE Celebrates Over 25 Years of The Students’ Right to Read. Over these years the Council has voiced its opposition to censorship and promoted intellectual freedom as portrayed in the clip from the NCTE Centennial Film.
Directed by Laura Lull, produced and written by John Golden