Protecting the Right to Teach and Learn Power, Politics, and Public Schools

Censorship stifles the ability of schools and teachers to educate students in meaningful and productive ways. In recent years, challenges to what gets read, taught, and learned in schools have increased. With the aim of protecting the academic freedom of individuals and groups from across political and religious spectrums, the authors, along with noted authorities in education, consider how schools respond to these challenges. The authors include a fascinating case study of a school district embroiled in a dispute about the progressive philosophy and practices at an elementary school. They also examine the legal and pedagogical implications that accrue, and offer educators strategies for addressing challenges and censorship issues that may arise in their districts and classrooms. Other topics explored are:

o;What happens when teachers and curricula are condemned

o;The ambiguity of academic freedom in public schools

o;Specific cases of curriculum on trial

This intriguing work is a must read for anyone interested in what does and does not get taught in schools.

James K. Daly is director of secondary education in the College of Education and Human Services at Seton Hall University. Patricia L. Schall is chair of the Education Department at the College of Saint Elizabeth in Morristown, New Jersey. Rosemary W. Skeele is director of the Instructional Design, Information Technologies, and Educational Media Specialist programs in the College of Education and Human Services at Seton Hall University.