Running head: INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM STATEMENT

Intellectual Freedom Statement

Kristan A. Price
Georgia Southern University

Running head: INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM STATEMENT

Intellectual Freedom Statement

The school librarian has the unique responsibility of helping to regulate the information
provided to students while simultaneously advocating for a students freedom to learn and grow
uninhibited. According to the American Library Association (ALA) (2016), intellectual freedom
is the right of a person to procure information about all sides of a question, cause, or movement
in an unrestricted manner. In this digital age, it is important to respect student rights to access of
hardcopy as well as information in the virtual realm while also fulfilling the schools legal
responsibility to protect them from harm.
We must choose materials for our collections that challenge students to consider multiple
points of view, including our own. Self-censorship is a violation of student rights by way of
omission. Whelan (2009) reported on a study by the School Library Journal in which 70 percent
of librarians said they will not buy certain controversial titles simply because they are terrified of
how parents will respond. I believe the most important way to avoid self-censorship is for
librarians not to make collections decisions in isolation. This is where it is essential to have an
advisory council and input from your patrons.
In our media center, I believe it is essential to make students feel comfortable and
welcome to explore their interests. Sometimes, this is not possible in the classroom due to
curriculum requirements and time constraints. Librarians must monitor activities, but not limit
student access based solely on the librarians own personal tastes. If a student has no access to
internet at home and cannot get to the public library consistently, the school library may be there
only avenue for equitable access to information. Librarians must respect their need to explore

Running head: INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM STATEMENT

and allow students to foster a desire to learn through inquiry. According to Stripling (2015),
students develop their voices when librarians enable them to present, create, and perform the new
understandings gained from inquiry and independent reading through products such as podcasts,
videos, research project presentations, debates, music productions, photo essays, performance of
original scripts, and digital storytelling.
According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) (2016), schools receiving
E-Rate funds are required to abide by the guidelines of The Childhood Internet Protection Act
(CIPA). This act requires internet filters to block content that is obscene; child pornography; or
harmful to minors. The FCC also requires that schools monitor the online activities of minors
and provide for educating minors about appropriate online behavior, including interacting with
other individuals on social networking websites and in chat rooms, and cyberbullying awareness
and response. But, it is not essential for filters to block everything. According to Johnson (2013),
CIPA does not say we should block all sites that are uncomfortable for adults. In fact, it is
impossible to educate students about online safety if anything remotely questionable is blocked.
I believe the monitoring of student internet activity presents librarians with relevant,
teachable moments where they can talk to students in a friendly, non-confrontational manner
about acceptable use and internet safety. Librarians must allow students to explore everything
within the confines of our school acceptable use policy. According to Johnson (2013), a driver is
not more law-abiding when going ten miles under the speed limit. Neither is a student hurting
anything by exploring difficult topics or controversial content. The librarian can further support a
students right to information access by challenging hyper-sensitive internet filters and making
student feel as though they are open to suggestions and discussions about those filters. According

Running head: INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM STATEMENT

to Seroff (2015), if we want students to act honorably and responsibly, we must give them
opportunities to earn our trust. In this way, the librarian serves as the students advocate for
equitable access and intellectual freedom.
According to Chmara (2015), people are unlikely to become well-functioning,
independent-minded adults and responsible citizens if they are raised in an intellectual bubble.
Librarians must foster responsible use of technology and help students learn to safely navigate
the web. This means introducing students to questionable or debated sites and educating them
about the pros and cons; help them discern the validity and usefulness of information rather than
tell them how to think just because the adults said it must be so. Valenza (2010) says librarians
must fight for the rights of students to have and use the tools they need because an issue of
equity and intellectual freedom issue.

Running head: INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM STATEMENT

References
American Library Association. (2007). Standards for the 21st-Century Learner. Retrieved from
American Library Association: http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards/learning
American Library Association. (2016). Intellectual Freedom and Censorship Q & A. Retrieved
from American Library Association:
http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/censorshipfirstamendmentissues/ifcensorshipqa
nda
Johnson, T. (2015). DO MINORS HAVE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS IN SCHOOLS?
Knowledge Quest, 44(1), 8-13. Retrieved February 23, 2016, from
http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=87ef3e00-fd4a-479d-8ce1de8283ad9ed3%40sessionmgr4003&vid=5&hid=4113
Federal Communications Commission. (2016). Children's Internet Protection Act. Retrieved
from Federal Communications Commission:
https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/childrens-internet-protection-act
Johnson, D. (2013). The Indispensible Librarian (Second ed.). Santa Barbara, CA: Linworth.
Seroff, J. (2015,). Developing a Curriculum in Intellectual Freedom: What Our Students Need to
Know. Knowledge Quest, 44(1), 20-24. Retrieved Februrary 23, 2016, from
http://knowledgequest.aasl.org/renew-support-intellectual-freedom-septoct-2015-issue/
Stripling, B. K. (2015). Creating a Culture of Intellectual Freedom through Leadership and
Advocacy. Knowledge Quest, 44(1), 14-19. Retrieved from
http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=fc217242-5efd-4cb3-9c74a4a1a7aff5d8%40sessionmgr4003&vid=4&hid=4113
Valenza, J. (2010). A revised manifesto. Retrieved from School Library Journal:
http://blogs.slj.com/neverendingsearch/2010/12/03/a-revised-manifesto/
Whelan, D. L. (2009, February 1). A Dirty Little Secret: Self-Censorship. Retrieved from School
Library Journal: http://www.slj.com/2009/02/censorship/a-dirty-little-secret-selfcensorship/#_