The Importance Of Intellectual Freedom In Education

Intellectual Freedom is not easily defined, however, according to The American Library Association, it is, “the right of every individual to both seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction.” (ALA, 2015). In my opinion, intellectual freedom is having resources that range from print to digital without interference from any outside parties. Helen Adams also pointed out that intellectual freedom being able to not only get information from diversified point of view, but also being able to seek out the information as well as receive the information.
As an elementary media specialist, it will be my job to maintain equitable access to materials however controversial they may be. It is job of the media specialist to

A self-censoring media specialist could be detrimental to a school library. Even if I myself do not agree with the book, I must put those feelings aside and realize that one book can change a child’s life. A book could be the hope for a child that is desperately searching for answers, and I will not be the librarian to get in their way. To avoid self-censoring, I must first start with my school population. This will include students, teachers, as well as parents. I could have a suggestion box so if any of the above populations felt uncomfortable telling someone what books they would be interested in seeing on the shelves, they could write it. There would need to be a mix of fiction as well as nonfiction as well as multicultural. I would like to find a book club that was reasonably priced that would send books based on what might be popular based on our population. Also, I found a checklist by The New York Library Association that could be very beneficial to review before and after making book selections. It would be important to have that checklist during selection, as well as to have the Media Committee and administration look at the book choices as

Chmara stated it well when he said, “People are unlikely to become well-functioning independent-minded adults and responsible citizens if they are raised in an intellectual bubble.” We have to discuss things like filters, push our county to relax some of the filters so students are able to access information needed to allow them to become independent. Seroff mentioned that when we have our students under surveillance their intellectual freedom diminishes. If we truly want intellectual freedom to be in the forefront of our media centers, we must start with training and making sure that each party knows their responsibilities. With collaboration with the technology specialist I would create an age appropriate lesson for students concerning individual freedom. Seroff described an excellent activity where, “Students Google their own names, examine the results, and are counseled on how to manage their digital footprints.” This could be an amazing opportunity for students to take control of their digital profile. Parents could attend a parent night dedicated solely to intellectual freedom, having handouts or pamphlets available for parents as well as staff could also be