Censorship

Censorship is a problematic word. As a great many people are fond of pointing out, censorship can only be done by the government. The term derives from the Roman officer called a censor who was responsible for taking the census and regulating public behavior and morals. Strictly speaking only the government can censor expression.

Of course, a lot of people use it more loosely which is when the pedants like me get to explain that, no, the publisher asking for a re-write is not censoring. The editor who wants you to take out the sex scene is not censoring you. We've been fortunate that for the most part only local level governments, school and library boards most frequently, have been actively involved in censoring or attempting to censor, speech and expression. And that frequently at the behest of community members.

The guys who wrote the Constitution of the United States were human beings. A lot of what they did was excellent work. I don't suffer from the delusion which affects so many of our fellow citizens, that they were infallible. I could cite you a couple of things I think they got wrong but let's not go there today. One thing I think they got very right indeed is the First amendment.

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.

That actually covers quite a lot, but it's the abridgment of the freedom of speech I'm concerned about today. This is brought about by an article appearing in Daytona Beach News Journal.

Briefly, in March 2003, a young girl in an Albuquerque high school wrote a poem critical of the Bush administration. The principal and "a school military liaison" accused her of being un-American. They fired the girl's teacher and ordered the girl's mother to destroy her poetry. The mother, also a teacher, has refused and may lose her job as well. All reading and teaching of poetry has been terminated at that school. The principal and military liaison also tore down posters in the art room which they deemed offensive, though none where judged obscene. They just critized the administration. The teachers' union, the National Writers' Union and the ACLU are suing the school. Yep, that's certainly censorship all right.

"A school military liaison" WTF? Why does the school, Rio Rancho High School, have a military liaison? She goes and googles. Okay, that's interesting. Apparently Rio Rancho is some kind of development or suburb near Albuquerque. And this particular high school has 62% white and 30% Hispanic students while the state average is 50% Hispanic and 34% white. Also the state average of students receiving free or reduced price lunch is 35% while it's 11% at Rio Rancho. Uh huh. Sill no explanation of military liaison though. Ah, okay. They have a Marine Corps Junior ROTC program. Still doesn't explain why the military liaison gets a say in the academic policies of the school! There's something seriously wrong and scary going on

The same school was sued in 2001 for suspending a girl who had one of those tiny Swiss Army pen knives on her key chain.

I don't know that there's much anyone can do about this particular case unless they happen to live in NM. Though I guess donations to the organizations bringing suit would be a good thing. All of us, though, need to be on the lookout for such things happening in our own communities and fight them where we can. I suppose I really ought to subscribe to one of the Seattle papers.

Comments

[Laura G]

Don't give your money to the papers. Read 'em on-line. Every article is there and searchable. And, despite being a subscriber to The Seattle Times, I don't think either of them is worth the paper they are printed on. I don't think Journalism is actually practiced by the media anymore.

[Menolly]

I know Intel has a facility in Rio Rancho; that may explain some of the demographics, at least the free lunch bit. Also, I wonder how those numbers compare to other suburban schools -- I"m guessing the numbers shift the other way at a lot of rural schools and probably some of the urban schools.

[Dave Bell]

I know that, as I was reading Mary Kay's account of how the school compared to local averages, I was expecting to read of something like a military facility. But then the free school meals came up, and I know that a lot of soldier's families qualify for food stamps.

But Intel? If it's anything like the British Army they won't have any of the lowest ranks, the least-well paid, in those specialities.

It fits...

[Mark Wilder]

If you look at the specific statistics for Rio Rancho (which are different from the average for the whole state) you can see that the school is not outside the norm:
http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Rio-Rancho,-New-Mexico

78.36% White, 2.66% African American, 2.37% Native American, 1.46% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 10.85% from other races, and 4.12% from two or more races. 27.68% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

[Mary Kay]

Mark Wilder: I was, in fact looking at the specific stats for the school and comparing them to the ones for the state as a whole, as you could see from the looking at the link. I'm not sure what kind of problem you're seeing.

mkk