Notes how the author, an author of children's and adolescent literature, is more and more wary of the ever-vigilant advocates of political correctness when it comes to selecting books for classroom use. Discusses criticisms of his own works. Offers recommendations to influence the reading preferences of 12-year-olds. (RS)

Harvard University (Massachusetts) scholar Richard P. Chait has become a leading and controversial voice on tenure reform. Chait claims he is not opposed to faculty tenure, but challenges deeply-rooted beliefs when he suggests tenure is not the only way to protect academic freedom and may not be essential in any circumstances. (MSE)

A Vanderbilt University (Tennessee) junior has organized 500 young people into a group, Peacefire, that opposes public schools' and libraries' use of software to block access to some sexually explicit portions of the Internet. He feels the software is too restrictive, also blocking access to important sources of information about women's issues,…

Interviews with 28 academic scientists involved with industrial organizations found strong concern for public safety and condemnation of concealed conflicts of interest. They showed much less concern about restriction of information flow and regarded commercial exploitation of research to be legitimate. (SK)

Discusses the role of college faculty in disciplinary procedures against faculty accused of violating professional or personal ethical standards. Notes cases that illustrate the reasons for the public perception that college faculty lack the will to govern and discipline themselves. (MDM)

In 1935, the Howard University philosopher Alain Locke asked W. E. B. Du Bois to contribute to an adult education project for African Americans. Censorship by white-controlled foundations forced Locke to reject the Du Bois essay to protect contributions for causes of great importance to blacks. (Author/SLD)

Potential conflicts over academic freedom may arise between college faculty and administrators. There is a need to balance freedom/independence and collaboration/interdependence as well as service and scholarship roles. The support role that makes this work does not receive adequate attention. (SK)

Discusses how guidelines for classroom discussion, popular in women's studies and sociology, have set off campus controversies over freedom of speech. (EV)

Asserts that it behooves an organization like the American Association of University Professors, a major role of which is to protect academic freedom, to make sure that the integration of online instruction into the activities of traditional higher education will give rise to the same guarantees as to academic freedom and quality as in traditional…

Asserts that the systematic de-emphasis of print (as opposed to electronic) media and the unique habits of mind they alone inculcate suppresses the spirit of inquiry because it foreshortens the horizon of ideas to which a student may be exposed and narrows the cognitive options for developing and exploring alternative ways of thinking. (EV)

Argues that recent efforts by national accrediting agencies, especially the Educational Leadership Constituent Council, to upgrade preparation standards for administrators embodies the teleology of standardization whose principal objective is to remove the university and college as the primary site for the preparation of educational leaders--an…

Proposes that the freedom of experiencing many works from various art arenas allows students to become strong, independent, educated individuals. Discusses censorship in the classroom, the purpose of literature, censorship prevention, and procedures for challenging decisions to censor works of literature. Appends a form to request a…

Explores negative effects on academic expertise and the academic freedom of faculty when governing boards and administrators look to the corporate world for organizational models. (EV)

Examines litigation involving academic freedom, expressive freedom, and drug testing as examples of the shifting balance between teacher rights and school board authority. Concludes that balancing teacher rights with community expectations is difficult, and the scales of justice may not always tip in favor of a teacher's rights. (SG)

Proposes that faculty and administrators should be viewed as fiduciaries charged with acting in the best interests of their students. Reviews recent cases involving breach of fiduciary duty against schools and discusses whether imposing fiduciary duties would hinder academic freedom. Suggests why the doctrine of good faith and fair dealing offers…