Hundreds of books have been either removed or challenged in schools and libraries in the United States every year. According to the American Library Association (ALA), there were at least 464 in 2012. ALA estimates that 70 to 80 percent are never reported.
To celebrate, here are some books of interest in Engineering and Science that have been banned at one time or another:
- Banned in 17th Century Europe: Any writing or discussion demonstrating the heliocentric nature of the universe.
Writings by Physicist and Astronomer Galileo Galilei was charged and convicted of heresy by the Inquisition in 1632 for writing, “Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems” Main Library QB41 .G1356 1967 - Banned in schools in Tennessee following the Butler Act of 1925: Books and teaching materials on Darwinian evolution theory.
The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin Main Library QH365 .O2 1979 - Banned in Menifee School District, California: Dictionary banned for too explicit definition.
Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary Hardin Library For Health Sci Library PE1628 W4M4 1993 - Banned through the United States: For being too accurate in its scientific initiative.
The Golden Book of Chemistry Experiments, written in 1960 by Robert Brent and illustrated by Harry Lazarus.
Banned Classic Books:
According to the Office for Intellectual Freedom, at least 46 of the Radcliffe Publishing Course Top 100 Novels of the 20th Century have been the target of ban attempts. See which books these are and learn the reasons for being banned at the following link: http://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/classics/reasons
References:
- Banned Book Week. http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/
- Baron, Dennis. Webster’s Banned for too much sex. http://illinois.edu/blog/view/25/20915
- Banned Books Awareness: “The Golden Book of Chemistry Experiments” http://bannedbooks.world.edu/2013/07/07/banned-books-awareness-the-golden-book-of-chemistry-experiments/