The Nation - News from Sept. 9, 1988

Efforts to censor books and other materials in classrooms and libraries are increasing and the traditional conservative censor has been joined by some women’s groups and minorities, a new report said. The efforts to censor come in all regions of the country and from urban, suburban and rural locations, and challenged publications included materials for all grade levels, said the report by the American Assn. of School Administrators and the American Library Assn. “Pressures that could result in censorship are increasing and that has an adverse effect on the ability of the schools to provide a broad-based education for children,” said Judith Krug, director of the association’s Office of Intellectual Freedom. The 141-page report, “Censorship and Selection,” linked the effort to censor with the current discussion over educational reform and the debate on the role of public schools in promoting the values of various groups.