Cover Sheet for Ethno Paper

Troy Standard
Cover Sheet – Ethnography Research Paper (part 1 of 2)
December 5, 2008

I. Research Question
I decided to investigate the topic of book censorship in two very different schools in order to discover exactly which factors affect the school administrations’ decision to remove a book from a curriculum. My research question was: “how does the topic of book censorship differ between urban and rural schools?” This research is valuable because it examines a topic that is both current – this topic is even now being debated in schools across the country – as well as relevant.

II. Primary Sources
Jeff Schuessler, teacher of English at
Gilpin County Junior and Senior High School
Laura Schachet, library media specialist at
Webber Junior High School

III. Major Findings
What I learned was that even though the schools differed in the political makeup and student body population, book censorship is still a very controversial topic. After reading the three secondary sources and talking with some of my professors, I was surprised that this issue has remained virtually unchanged for a very long time; I say ‘unchanged,’ referring to the point that objections are still being raised, and teachers are still fighting back. Though some topics and issues have been made more lenient with the onset of widespread media pressure, the fact remains that some parents will not allow certain books – and that teachers are advocating the inclusion of these very books into the curriculum in order to teach crucial information to students.

IV. Implications
Parents and teachers must be allies, both striving for the best possible education for the student. In order to achieve this valuable instruction, parents and teachers require good lines of communication. Through open, honest discussion and sympathetic compromise, educators can reach the best level of education for every student. respect is one of the foundations of a successful classroom; respect for the students from the teacher, for the teacher from the students, and respect for the parents’ beliefs. By listening and being sympathetic toward the wishes of a parent, an educator can build a healthy, inclusive classroom that is sure to foster growth in every student.

V. Secondary Sources
Kauer, Suzanne M. “A Battle Reconsidered: Second Thoughts on Book Censorship and Conservative Parents.”
Krogness, Mary Mercer. “Middle Ground: Censorship and Imagination.”
Noll, Elizabeth. “The Ripple Effect of Censorship: Silencing in the Classroom.”