Widespread (and seemingly senseless) Censorship is Destroying the Idea of a Liberal Education
by Kyla Still and Dr. Benjamin M. Drury
Censorship within the education system has been a long-standing issue since 1975, at least when books are considered, according to Jennifer Elaine Steele in her article, A History of Censorship in the United States. It started when members of a school board from the Island Trees Union School district began removing books for reasons they claimed were rooted in their religious ideologies. Ironically most censorship comes at the hands of religious zealots seeking to undo the alternative narratives created by scholars, artists, educators, and activists.
Books aren’t the only thing to be stripped from the shelves in schools. Music, internet access, videos, newspapers, and all other forms of digital and print media are subject to the hegemonic eye of the most powerful groups in American society. As far as the public is aware, most Americans never doubt just how edited their media is.
Most of us think that the only and most edited form of media is music based on what they hear on the radio, which is often sought out due to the use of unfavorable words and references used within them.
In reality, all of our media is a representation of the reality based on the interests and goals…
