2001 kidSPEAK! News

The Elgin Area School District's school board in Elgin, Illinois, voted to return Judy Blume's book "Forever" to the district's middle school libraries. The school board's action follows the recommendation of a committee of parents and teachers. The school banned "Forever" four years ago because of a parent's complaint that the book showed teens "sinning". One mother called on parents to withdraw their children from the "pagan school district." more>>

Several students joined national organizations to convince a California school district to remove a ban on a critically acclaimed novel, Sophie's Choice. The book was pulled from high school classrooms and library after a parent complained about the book's sexual content. The America Civil Liberties Union, National Coalition Against Censorship, American Library Association and the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression all helped the students make the school district return the book. more>>

The South Holt High School of Oregon, Missouri, pulled Chris Crutcher's book "Whale Talk" from a classroom and the school's library after a group of parent objected to its references to racism and sex. The school formed a committee to determine if the book should remain banned. Its recommendation will go to the Board of Education, who has the final say. more>>

At a middle school in Elgin, Illinois, a committee of parents and staff voted to return Judy Blume's book "Forever" to the library shelves. The committee's recommendation will now be reviewed by the school board. The school banned "Forever" four years ago because of a parent's complaint that the book showed teens sinning. One mother called on parents to withdraw their children from the "pagan school district." more>>

Kids in Indianapolis will be allowed to continue playing video games in public arcades without being accompanied by their parents. The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the City of Indianapolis' appeal of a ruling declaring the law unconstitutional.
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Following the World Trade Center attack, Clear Channel Communications sent a list of more than 150 songs to its 1,200 radio stations, asking them to avoid playing them. The list includes The Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Under the Bridge," Lenny Kravitz, "Fly Away," even the Bangles "Walk Like an Egyptian." Read more about Clear Channel’s list or click here to view the list.

Jonathon Coy, an eighth grader in Canton, Ohio, was expelled form North Canton Middle School for creating a Web site that school officials say is “bullying.” Jonathon and his parents say the site is dedicated to skateboarding and humor. They have sued the school district for violating Jonathon’s First Amendment rights. more>>

Fifteen year old Katie Sierra was suspended for three days from Sissonville High School in West Virginia for wearing a T-shirt that criticized U.S. military action in Afghanistan. Katie and her mom have challenged the suspension in court. They lost the first round, but vow to fight on. more>>

Packers Fan Shut Out

Middle school student Rocky Sonkowsky of Minnesota never thought wearing a Green Bay Packers jersey would get him shut out of a school party. He claims school officials would not let him attend a school sponsored party with the Minnesota Vikings because he wanted to wear a Packers jersey. The school district denies this. They say the student wasnıt allowed to attend the party because he was acting up. The studentıs father has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court to settle the matter.
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Barbies Banned From Science Fair

Playing with dolls can get you in trouble. At Mesa Elementary School in Colorado an eight year-old student was barred from doing a project on racial prejudice for her science fair that involved Barbie dolls. The student put the same dress on a black Barbie and a white Barbie and then asked her classmates which one they liked best. Most kids at her school, which is mostly white, said they preferred the white doll. School officials thought the project was too ³upsetting² to be a part of the science fair.
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Junior High Students Barred from Reading "Gay" Bios

Ten biographies of prominent gay men and lesbian women have been removed from the library of a California junior high school. School officials are not saying why they are holding the books or if they will be returned to the library. The school librarian and library technician are suing the school district with the help of the ACLU.
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"Freaky Friday" Freaks Parent, School Board

A parent who complained that the book "Freaky Friday" is too violent for junior high school students lost the battle but may have won the war. The Hernando County School Board voted to leave the book on the shelves but also agreed to review the way books are chosen for the library, possibly opening the way to more censorship in the future. Suggestions range from only allowing "G rated" books to be shelved in the library to placing more advanced books on high shelves so that younger students canıt reach them.
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Student Catches Principal Ripping Pages from School Books

Usually, it is students who deface textbooks, but a high school student in Jacksonville, Florida has caught school officials in the act. Robert Bertrand discovered his principal had ordered excerpts from the play Angels in America ripped from the textbook. With the help of People for the American Way, Robert has filed a lawsuit to force school officials to restore the missing pages.
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