The Impacts of Censorship: Research on the Intersection of Censorship and Teaching English

While censorship has long been a reality for English teachers, the current censorship crisis represents a material change. This censorship is driven by politics, specifically Christian nationalism and related right-wing ideologies, and often is supported and upheld by local policies and statewide legislation. It is focused on large-scale book challenges, resulting in thousands of book bans a year. The current censorship trend also includes public condemnation of teachers and librarians through school board meetings and social media.

This volume, the first of two, shares original research on the upsurge of censorship that has overtaken the English language arts classroom, beginning in 2020. The articles in this volume feature research that examines censorship from a variety of angles, and provide insight into:

• A national survey of English teachers that found that while a minority of teachers experienced direct censorship, a vast majority of teachers are concerned about potential censorship and make book selections based on that well-founded fear.
• Research based on interviews with middle-school teachers about their book selections, which found that while most feel well-prepared to select high-quality children’s literature, they also feel constrained in their choices by both internal and external forces.
• Open-ended survey responses and storytelling to examine how teachers ＂worked around＂ restrictive curricular policies specific to the 1619 Project.
• The intersection of restrictive state legislation and policies, the reasons for book challenges, and the rhetoric around critical race theory and diversity, equity, and inclusion using critical policy analysis.
• Actions, steps, and policy strategies that teachers and administrators can use to prepare for and respond to book challenges.

NCTE has long been an outspoken opponent of censorship. This support for books, reading, and teacher expertise continues through today via the Students’ Right to Read, the Committee Against Censorship, and the Intellectual Freedom Award. In a time of increasing censorship and attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion, this series and this volume serve as timely tools for helping to navigate this challenging landscape.

Mark Letcher is an associate professor of English education and director of the English Language Arts Teaching program at Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois. His research and teaching specialize in preservice teacher education, writing teacher education, and adolescent literature and literacies. He also has served since 2021 as the Executive Director of the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of NCTE (ALAN). His work has been published in journals such as English Journal, The ALAN Review, English Education, Research in the Teaching of English, College Composition and Communication, Teaching/Writing: The Journal of Writing Teacher Education, and Voices from the Middle. He has also published work on young adult literature in a number of edited collections.