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Applying the principles of intellectual freedom Connect academic freedom with intellectual freedom. Academic freedom guarantees the teacher’s right to teach and to select classroom and library resources for instruction. Make sure everyone involved understands the right of people in a democratic society to express their concerns and that all people have the right to due process in the handling of their complaints. Explain the obligation of the school district to provide intellectual and physical access to resources that provide for a wide range of abilities and differing points of view. Define intellectual and physical access when appropriate. Intellectual access includes the right to read, receive and express ideas and the right to acquire skills to seek out, explore and examine ideas. Physical access includes being able to locate and retrieve information unimpeded by fees, age limits, separate collections or other restrictions. Emphasize the need to place the principles of intellectual and academic freedom above personal opinion, and reason above prejudice, when selecting resources. Connect intellectual freedom and access. The freedom to express your beliefs or ideas becomes meaningless when others are not allowed to receive or have access to those beliefs or ideas. Stress the need for teachers and librarians to be free to present students with alternatives and choices if students are to learn and use critical thinking and decision-making skills.

Online social networking includes much more than Facebook and Twitter. It is any online use of technology to connect people, enable them to collaborate with each other, and form virtual communities, says the Young Adult Library Services Association

Survey research confirms, however, that interest in harnessing social networking for educational purposes is high. As reported in School Principals and Social Networking in Education: Practices, Policies and Realities in 2010, a national survey of 1,200 principals, teachers and librarians found that most agreed that social networking sites can help educators share information and resources, create professional learning communities and improve schoolwide communications with students and staff. Those who had used social networks were more positive about potential benefits than those who had not. In an online discussion with 12 of the principals surveyed, most said, “social networking and online collaboration tools would make a substantive change in students’ educational experience.” They said these tools could improve student motivation and engagement, help students develop a more social/collaborative view of learning and create a connection to real-life learning.

Among students surveyed in a National School Boards Association study, 96 percent of those with online access reported using social networking, and half said they use it to discuss schoolwork. Despite this prevalence in everyday life, schools have been hesitant to adopt social networking as an education tool. A 2010 study into principals’ attitudes found that “schools are one of the last holdouts,” with many banning the most popular social networking sites for students and sometimes for staff.

he ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) staff reach out to members and non-members by providing support during actual or potential challenges to books, Internet resources, magazines, and other library materials. Being a member of a state library association can reduce the feeling of isolation and provide networking opportunities for personal exploration of dilemmas relating to selection and access to resources in a library media program.

Unlocking the Secrets to School Change

What’s more important is that you surround your teachers and staff with systems that will promote their ability to change. Ask yourself the following questions about the people at your school:

Are they integrated into the selection of their content? Are they consulted in the design of their professional development? Do they receive training from experts who break down the skills into manageable parts? Are their technologies drop-dead simple to use? Do they have time to practice? Can they share their successes and victories with each other, learning and re-learning continuously?