Censorship has always been a threat to freedom, even in the United States, where freedom of speech is granted by the First Amendment in the U.S. Constitution, one of the country’s oldest documents.
Even in modern times, censorship can rear its head. Vandalism of a controversial art piece or poster can be a particular type of censorship.
City College Learning Resource Center employees say, even if it doesn’t seem like an omnipresent threat, it can still happen anywhere, anytime, including at the LRC.
The LRC has not had to take books off the shelf, says LRC librarian Judith Howe because City College hasn’t had challenges to content on the bookshelves. This doesn’t mean controversial art pieces and posters showcased on LRC walls are immune to defacement and vandalism or incapable of upsetting students.
LRC Dean Rhonda Rios-Kravitz described an incident that occurred in March 2011, in which a female student was offended by a painting that depicted female nudity.
“[The student] painted over the breasts with green glitter glue,” says Kravitz.
However, some students don’t see the logic behind the offense.
“I don’t think there’s any reason that a book or any type of media should be censored,” says Jiuliano Mamola, 20, geography major.
Art is not the only thing in the LRC that has offended students. Kravitz says an informational poster about financial aid counseling was removed from the library’s wall. The poster was directed to students who qualify for AB 540, a California law that allows undocumented students to pay in-state instead of costlier out-of-state tuition.
“It was repeatedly ripped down,” says Kravitz, who added that the posters were ripped down every “couple of hours.”
Howe says that education is important for this subject. In October, the LRC exhibited a banned book display, promoting awareness and knowledge of books that have been banned across America.
Howe says high schools and public libraries are subject to challenges more than City College.
“People for the most part, get along just fine,” says Howe.