Intellectual Freedom Issues for Students in Our Schools: Are We Ready?

The concept of intellectual freedom includes a wide range of interlocking rights such asfreedom to read, freedom of expression, freedom to speak, freedom of the press, freedom to know,and social responsibility, all of which are foundational to a democratic society and to schooling ina democratic society. The fundamental rights of children are rarely addressed in discussions ofintellectual freedom, and in Canada and in the United States, children’s intellectual freedom rightsincreasingly are being curtailed by politicians, courts, school administrators, and sometimes byteacher-librarians themselves. There are resources that teacher-librarians can utilize when dealingwith issues related to intellectual freedom, especially when the rights of children are at risk. Onevaluable resource is a national database of library challenges. Recognizing children’s rights wouldmean including the interests of children and young adults (from birth to age 18) in the discussionsand deliberations related to intellectual freedom and freedom of expression.