Censorship of Lois Lowry’s The Giver Essay examples -- Lowry Giver Ess

Censorship of Lois Lowrys The GiverEvery year Kansas students in grades three through cardinal vote on their favorite of a add up of literary works nominated for the William Allen tweed Award. This award, founded in 1952 honors one of the states most distinguished citizens and journa describes (Bogan). A picking committee comprised of representatives of several Kansas educational organizations such as the Department of Education and Association of Teachers of English pool nominations and eventually narrow them to a master list of about twenty books. Nominations exemplify originality . . . vitality . . . and spirit (Bogun). Once compiled, the master list is sent to schools around the state. At the end of the school year, after students declare had time to read the majority of the selections, they vote and select the winner. Despite the suggestion of the William Allen White committee that students need not read every nomination, the Meade Grade check system took the initiat ive to build a literary appreciation program by requiring students to read all such books. To vote, as prescribed by the White Committee, a student need only read two of the selections. For the Meade students this was also the case, but to have the opportunity to take the annual school-sponsored trip to the presentation of the award, it was requirement to read and pass a computerized test on all books of the Master List. In 1996, however, one selection proved to be one too numerous for Meade The Giver. Controversy over the novel by Lois Lowry began early in the school year when a couple parents of fifth grade students approached the librarian and suggested removing The Giver from the list of required readings. With little dissent, the librarian agree... ... say what the extent of depiction to mature themes should be for grade school students? By constricting the breadth of education, especially exposure to controversial literature, the Mennonite community hindered students ability to address and understand real world issues. I have no doubt that this confusion was present as Meade students attended the banquet for the 1996 William Allen White Award winner. The winner? Lois Lowry. Works Cited Blasphemy. OED 2d ed 1989. 2 Feb. 2002. Bogan, M.E., and T. Summey. William Allen White Childrens Book Award. 1 Feb. 2002. Cresswell, Tim. In correct/Out of Place Geography, Ideology, and Transgression. Minneapolis U of Minnesota P, 1996. Lowry, Lois. The Giver. Boston Houghton Mifflin Company, 1993. Spirit. OED 2d ed 1989. 2 Feb. 2002. Upper. OED 2d ed 1989. 2 Feb. 2002.