Should Local School Boards be Allowed to Ban Books from School Research Paper

Should Local School Boards be Allowed to Ban Books from School Libraries or Block Access to Select Internet Sites - Research Paper Example The threat of censorship  is much greater than it appears at first glance.† (Brenyo, 2011, p.544) The issue of censorship is also witnessed in high school publications, where a perennial power tussle exists between â€Å"student journalists decrying potential violations of their free speech and administrators who point to their responsibility to protect the welfare of the student body.† (Jenco, 2008, p.1) While bans and censorship of scholarly content might be warranted in exceptional circumstances, the high incidence of issuing of bans and curbs in the country is not acceptable. The rest of this essay will present supportive arguments for this thesis. In the tussle between student journalists and school authorities, the latter claim that they need to cross-check the content in order to take legal and financial responsibility for the publication. Moreover, screening the paper in advance enables them to tone down inflammatory rhetoric used by students. To ease the tensi on between student bodies and educators, â€Å"newspaper advisers educate their administrators about First Amendment laws as they apply to student journalism and that the newspaper staffs, in turn, use their freedom responsibly. It's important for a democracy, important for society, important for learning of students to know they have a voice and are expected to be responsible within the law but also be given opportunity within the law to demonstrate they can handle that.† (Jenco, 2008, p.1) The first and foremost reason for not allowing books to be banned is the law. The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States says the â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.† (Stewart Jr., 2007, p.552) Hence, those who ban books invo ke breaches of law at several places. Not only does it amount to respecting the views of a religion in public institutions, but also prohibits free exercise of freedom of speech. It also breaks the spirit of the First Amendment by objecting to what is a peaceful assembly of students in the classroom. Books by Charles Darwin and his supporters are the most frequently prohibited items in school libraries, due to the exposition on theory of evolution they contain. Apologists for banning these books should remember that their action is unconstitutional by virtue of breaching the First Amendment at several places. There are other legislations and case verdicts that stipulate the extent of intellectual freedom citizens can avail. The 1982 Supreme Court case Board of Education is one such; others include the Island Trees Union Free School District No. 26 v. Pico case and the 1988 Supreme Court case Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier. The verdict in the Pico case stated that an educatio nal institution is not permitted to ban a book from its library just because its administrative board disagrees with the content of the book. The Hazelwood case allowed reasonable restrictions on content, mandated exacting criteria for imposing the same. But it is an unfortunate turn of events that subsequent courts have not respected the spirit of Pico and Hazelwood judgments. Instead, they have been providing a

Reflecting on Food Systems Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Reflecting on Food Systems - Personal Statement Example I still enjoy a Whopper and fries, but when I eat one now I am more keenly aware of the path that the burger has taken to get to my table, the lives that it has impacted, the social footprint it has made, and the alternatives I have when choosing the foods I eat. I have listened for years as the news has told about the health issues that surround the foods we eat. It seems like every week there is another new health scare that portrays the American diet as dangerous and unhealthy. Trans fat, bacon, mayonnaise, and cheese have all come under fire as health advocates have suggested the limiting or elimination of certain foods from our diet. At some point it becomes like the boy who cried wolf too often. I have to wonder what is the food of the week that has drawn the attention of dieticians and nutritionists. If I had taken it as serious as they portrayed it then my favorite double cheeseburger with a large fries would have been out and replaced by a bowl of greens and alfalfa sprouts. Still, I had only a few sources for my food and had no knowledge how different it all was. If I didn't get my food from Burger King, then what alternatives did I have I had never given much thought about how the food had arrived at my table, or how the process h ad taken its toll on the nutritional benefits of the food I was eating. Being told my food was unhealthy didn't ... I need facts and figures and they need to make a connection that I can understand. The learning that I have done in food systems has been instrumental in fundamentally changing the ways that I think about food, the decision I make regarding the foods I buy, and my future plans for creating an alternative means of acquiring it. Yet, this would not have been possible without being involved in this class, my exposure to the UCD student farm, and the education that I have gotten in regards to alternative means of food production. I am far more aware of the risks we take when deciding what foods to eat and the ways it impacts growers and farmers around the world. It wasn't that I didn't care about the health of the food I ate; it was that I simply was not aware of the myriad issues that surrounded the topic. One of the issues that I became more aware of was the use of chemicals that are required to feed the population of the world. I never stopped long enough to think that there are other species on the planet that are competing for the same food that the human race is. I didn't know how the smallest of insects could damage and kill a field of vegetables before they are even given an opportunity to grow. They can feed off the roots or the vines and bring death to the plant long before there are any signs of fruit. Killing the pests can be accomplished through the use of chemical pesticides, but they leave a residue that works its way into the plant. We then ingest the food and in doing so we consume some trace of the original pesticide. Weeds can overtake a field or garden plot as they also compete for space. Many weeds have evolved for the m illennia to endure the harsh outdoor conditions and are a