Censorship Sucks

Currently reading - Soulless by Gail Carriger

The following is a letter I sent to Guy Sconzo, superintendent of Humble ISD after YA author Ellen Hopkins was "disinvited" from the Humble ISD Teen Lit Fest. Several writers have withdrawn form the festival in protest of the censorship. For more information on the controversy, please see Ellen Hopkins blog or Tera Lynn Childs blog. If you live in the Houston area (heck, even if you don't), please let Mr. Sconzo know what you think of censorship. His e-mail address is guy.sconzo@humble.k12.tx.us.


Dear Mr. Sconzo:

I want to say thank you for reinforcing my decision to withdraw my son from the Texas public school system and homeschool him. Your decision to sponsor censorship by "disinviting" Ellen Hopkins from the Humble ISD Teen Lit Fest proves to me that the Texas school system is moving backwards, not forwards, in educating our children.

I want my son exposed to a multitude of ideas, including one that I don't agee with, in order for him to develop his decision-making process. Ms. Hopkins writes honestly about the very real dangers our children face. By ignoring these same dangers, we adults set up our children to be sucked into the very things we want to protect them from. I want my son to know about these dangers, so I can help him prepare coping mechanisms. Many authors' books, including Ms. Hopkins, have been the gateway I've used to open up discussions about these issues with my son.

I hope you will reconsider your decision. Censorship does not protect our children at all.

Sincerely yours,
Suzan Harden