UpDate - Vol. 11, No. 31, Page 7
May 14, 1992
English prof recognized for work against censorship

     Who would have thought that teaching a summer class to high
school teachers would lead to in-depth research on textbook
censorship?
     Joan Del Fattore, associate professor of English, certainly
didn't, but that is how she became involved in her research. While
instructing a group of teachers, Del Fattore noticed that several
passages were missing from Romeo and Juliet in the textbook anthology
being used. Upon further investigation, Del Fattore found that many
other works in the high school book had been edited as well.
     Since Del Fattore has made censorship the focus of her research,
she has spoken throughout Delaware  and has authored a book, What
Johnny Shouldn't Read; Textbook Censorship in America's Schools, to be
released next month.
     On April 3, Del Fattore received the first Intellectual Freedom
award from the Delaware Library Association and Social Issues
Resources Series. She was commended for her role in promoting
intellectual freedom and challenging censorship in her sphere of
influence and beyond.
     Del Fattore was given a $500 prize and could choose a library to
receive a $500 gift. She chose the Redding Middle School Library
because it had lost its entire collection due to asbestos
contamination.
     "I was very pleased to have been selected," said Del Fattore.
"The issue of intellectual freedom is becoming so important these days
that any recognition for work dealing with it is good."
     Through her research, Del Fattore has found that, although there
is a lot of legitimate debate about what goes into textbooks, there
are extremists on both sides.
     She said she was amazed at how much both left-and right-wing
groups affect what material goes into the elementary and secondary
textbooks. They do so by petitioning publishers in states with the
largest number of school districts, such as California and Texas.
     Controversial topics for liberal groups include nutrition and
eliminating stereotypical references to people, while conservative
factions attempt to keep women and minorities in stereotypical roles.
     The result of this competition over textbook content tends to
result in watered down and inaccurate textbooks, Del Fattore said.
     In her book, there is one instance of censorship cited where a
group requested a change in a history book. The change simply read,
"On page XXX replace France with Switzerland."
     "What bothers me most about this textbook selection process is
that the small pressure groups in California and Texas can try to
completely eliminate ideas from society," she said.
     One way in which Del Fattore combats censorship is through the
education of teachers and parents. "I go to the different school
districts in Delaware and try to help teachers supplement textbooks
with other materials," she said.
     "If students aren't mature enough to read a book in its entirety,
they should be studying something else until they can handle the book
the way it was originally written," Del Fattore said.
     -Kimberly Colletti