Focus on Policy: Intellectual Freedom

Recognizing that teachers draw on a wealth of knowledge, professional judgment, and resources in determining what children and teens are reading at school, the author asks what it means for teachers and librarians today? It means they must understand the principles of intellectual freedom, and also how those principles are applied in the real world. They must be willing to acknowledge and move beyond their own biases and fears, and they must be prepared to defend the rights of the children and teens for whom they have a professional responsibility.