Affiliate – NCTE Intellectual Freedom (State, Regional, Provincial)

NCTE Affiliate Awards

NCTE Affiliate Intellectual Freedom Award

Award Details

PURPOSE
The NCTE Intellectual Freedom Awards honor individuals, groups, or institutions that merit recognition for advancing the cause of intellectual freedom. Award categories are (1) a national award and (2) an NCTE affiliate-based award.

Each state, regional, and provincial affiliate is urged to establish and implement an Intellectual Freedom Award. The awardees will be cited in the NCTE Intellectual Freedom Award Roster and at the Affiliate Breakfast at the NCTE Annual Convention.

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE
Any state, regional (e.g., multi-state), and provincial affiliate of NCTE can participate by naming an Intellectual Freedom Award winner in accordance with the specifications below and by sending information about their awardee to NCTE by June 30 in the year of the award.

FREQUENCY/NUMBER OF AWARDS
One award may be given annually by each state, regional, and provincial affiliate, but affiliates may choose whether to participate or not in any given year.

AWARD SPECIFICS
All affiliate awardees will receive certificates prepared by NCTE and presented to the participating affiliate or the awardee at the Affiliate Breakfast at each year’s NCTE Annual Convention. The affiliate is also urged to honor the awardee at an affiliate event of its choice. A roster of awardees will be published in the breakfast program and other appropriate NCTE publications.

AWARD CRITERIA AND JUDGING
The eligibility criteria for the affiliate NCTE Intellectual Freedom Awards are as follows:

the awardee has shown courage in advancing the cause of intellectual freedom or fighting censorship;
the awardee can be an educator or noneducator;
the awardee can be an individual, group, or institution;
the awardee’s activity can be related to particular recent events (e.g., a censorship dispute) or it can be ongoing (e.g., leadership demonstrated over a period of years);
the same awardee may not be named for two years in succession.

The procedural rules are as follows:

(a) the governing body of each participating affiliate will authorize the judging panel and determine the nominating process, with attention to requesting nominations from local or other intrastate affiliates, if any exist within the state affiliate;

(b) descriptions of the activities or events that merited the award must be presented by June 30 in two forms:

(1) the Intellectual Freedom Award submission form and

(2) concise documentation and/or testimony of not less than one single-spaced page and not more than three double-spaced pages and three pages of attachments in PDF format;

(d) NCTE will accept without further review all affiliate awards that have met the above criteria and the deadline; however, NCTE reserves the right to request further information if needed to clarify the affiliate’s material on its award.

Note: specification (c) acknowledges that many who act in defense of intellectual freedom remain under continued scrutiny and pressure. They sometimes choose to avoid public notice which, however supportive, places them under further duress.

EXAMPLES

a newspaper that supported, in an editorial, a teacher, school, or Board of Education action in defense of a challenged book, film, or educational method;
the teacher, school, or Board of Education involved in such a defense;
a department chair, principal, or central office leader who has over a period of time developed and/or supported intellectual freedom policies and practices;
a public official who took a stand in a difficult intellectual freedom case.

DEADLINE
Nominations with appropriate documentation must be submitted via the submission form by June 30. Please email affsec@ncte.org with questions.

NCTE Affiliate Intellectual Freedom Award Winners

2023
Kentucky Council of Teachers of English recognizes Kristen Heckel, Louisville, Kentucky
Maine Council for English Language Arts recognizes Maine Association of School Libraries
Nebraska English Language Arts Council recognizes Vicki Wood, Lincoln City Libraries
Ohio Council of Teachers of English recognizes Ashley Hope Pérez, The Ohio State University

2022
Nebraska English Language Arts Council recognizes Julia Schleck
Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts recognizes the Ohioana Library

2021
Nebraska English Language Arts Council recognizes Senator Adam Morfeld
Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts recognizes Rudine Sims Bishop

2020
Nebraska English Language Arts Council recognizes Bryan Moore
Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts recognizes Tom Romano

2019
Nebraska English Language Arts Council recognized Erika Bruening
Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts recognized the Youngstown State University English Festival
2018
California Association of Teachers of English (CATE) recognized Lauren Markham
Nebraska English Language Arts Council (NELAC) recognized Anne Alston
Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts (OCTELA) recognized Gloria Flaherty
2017
Nebraska English Language Arts Council (NELAC) recognized Debra Velder.
Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts recognized Connie Zitlow.

2016
Central Texas Council of Teachers of English (CTCTE) recognized Dan Reynolds.
Nebraska English Language Arts Council (NELAC) recognized Janelle Schultz.
Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts (OCTELA) recognized Sharon Draper.
2015
Nebraska English Language Arts Council (NELAC) recognized Katie Wright.
Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts (OCTELA) recognized Margaret Ford.
2014
Nebraska English Language Arts Council (NELAC) recognized Michael Barth.
Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts (OCTELA) recognized Karen Andrus Tollafield.
2013
California Association of Teachers of English (CATE) recognized Kristy Orona Ramirez.
Montana Association of Teachers of English Language Arts (MATELA) recognized Dorothea Susag.
Nebraska English Language Arts Council (NELAC) recognized Daniel Pfeiffer
Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts (OCTELA) recognized Margaret Sacco.

NCTE/SLATE* Affiliate Intellectual Freedom Award Winners

2012
The Colorado Language Arts Society (CLAS) recognized Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award Organization.
The Kentucky Council of Teachers of English Language Arts (KCTELA) recognized Martha Brennan and Rebecca Slagle.
The Nebraska English Language Arts Council (NELAC) recognized Richard Herman.
The Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts (OCTELA) recognized Randy L. Hoover.
2011
The Georgia Council of Teachers of English (GCTE) recognized Jordan Kohanim.
The Kentucky Council of Teachers of English Language Arts (KCTELA) recognized Risha Leigh Mullins.
The Nebraska English Language Arts Council (NELAC) recognized Tom Black.
The Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts (OCTELA) recognized Ruth McClain.
The Texas Council of Teachers of English Language Arts (TCTELA) recognized the Texas Civil Rights Project.
The Wisconsin Council of Teachers of English (WCTE) recognized the Educators’ Network for Social Justice.
2010
The Florida Council of Teachers of English recognized Kym Sheehan.
The Illinois Association of Teachers of English recognized David Protess.
The Indiana Council of Teachers of English (ICTE) recognized Ruby Clayton.
The Kentucky Council of Teachers of English Language Arts (KCTE/LA) recognized Silas House.
The Michigan Council of Teachers of English (MCTE) recognized Kenneth Winter.
The Nebraska English Language Arts Council (NELAC) recognized Jazmond Goss.
The Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts (OCTELA) recognized Karen Ballash.
2009
The California Association of Teachers of English (CATE) recognized Bill Younglove.
The Colorado Language Arts Society (CLAS) recognized Carrie Faust.
The Illinois Association of Teachers of English (IATE) recognized Becky Anderson Wilkins.
The Kentucky Council of Teachers of English Language Arts (KCTE/LA) recognized Britney McIntosh and Ed Matthews.
The Nebraska English Language Arts Council (NELAC) recognized Catherine McMurtry.
The Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts (OCTELA) recognized Dean Woodring Blasé.
The Texas Council of Teachers of English Language Arts recognized the Texas Freedom Network.
2008
The Florida Council of Teachers of English (FCTE) recognized Heather Gilman.
The New York State English Council recognized the Depew Union Free School District.
The Kentucky Council of Teachers of English/Language Arts recognized the Trey Grayson.
The Nebraska English Language Arts Council recognized Jerred Zegelis.
The Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts recognized Stacey Ciancio.
The Texas Council of Teachers of English Language Arts recognized the Coalition of English Language Arts and Reading Professionals (represented by Pat Jacoby, Alana Morris, and Cindy Tyroff).
2007
The California Association of Teachers of English (CATE) recognized Dave Eggers.
The Illinois Association of Teachers of English (IATE) recognized Susan Carley.
The Indiana Council of Teachers of English (ICTE) recognized the Human Rights Steering Committee at Indiana State University.
The Kentucky Council of Teachers of English Language Arts (KYCTE/LA) recognized Kelli Dean.
The Nebraska English Language Arts Council (NELAC) recognized Michael Baker.
The Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts (OCTELA) recognized Tammy Metcalf.
The Texas Council of Teachers of English Language Arts recognized Kimberly Horne.
2006
The Indiana Council of Teachers of English (ICTE) and NCTE recognized Sue Loughlin.
The Kentucky Council of Teachers of English/Language Arts (KCTE/LA) and NCTE recognized Al Cross.
The Missouri Association of Teachers of English (MATE) and NCTE recognized the Blue Springs Board of Education.
The Nebraska English Language Arts Council (NELAC) and NCTE recognized Susan Baird.
The Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts (OCTELA) and NCTE recognized Marcia Punsalan.
The Tennessee Council of Teachers of English (TCTE) and NCTE recognized members of the Williamson County School Board.
2005
The Kentucky Council of Teachers of English / Language Arts recognized Cyndi Powell Skellie.
The Nebraska English Language Arts Council recognized Linda Beckstead.
2004
The Indiana Council of Teachers of English and NCTE recognized the Lilly Endowment Inc.’s Teacher Creativity Fellowship Program and Barbara S. DeHart.
The Kentucky Council of Teachers of English/Language Arts (KCTE/LA) and NCTE recognized Starr Lewis.
The Nebraska English Language Arts Council (NELAC) and NCTE recognized Dr. Robert Brooke.
The New Jersey Council of Teachers of English (NJCTE) and NCTE recognized M. Jerry Weiss.
The Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts (OCTELA) and NCTE recognized the Youngstown State University English Festival.
2003
The Kentucky Council of Teachers of English/Language Arts (KCTE/LA) recognized Dr. Robert F. Sexton.
The Nebraska English Language Arts Council (NELAC) recognized Douglas Christensen.
The Wyoming Association of Teachers of English (WYATE) recognized Karen Delbridge.
The Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts (OCTELA) recognized C.J. Bott.
2002
The California Association of Teachers of English (CATE) recognized Susan Harmon.
The Colorado Language Arts Society (CLAS) recognized Karen Hartman.
The Georgia Council of Teachers of English (GCTE) recognized the Brunswick High School Language Arts Department.
The Indiana Council of Teachers of English (ICTE) recognized Bloomington TAWL (Teachers Applying Whole Language).
The Nebraska English Language Arts Council (NELAC) recognized Board of Education, Lincoln Public Schools.
The Kentucky Council of Teachers of English/Language Arts (KCTE/LA) recognized Judith G. Clabes.
The Wisconsin Council of Teachers of English Language Arts (WICTELA) recognized Nicholas Karolides.
The Tennessee Council of Teachers of English (TCTE) recognized Professor Mark Creter.
The Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts (OCTELA) recognized Dottie DePugh.
2001
The Indiana Council of Teachers of English (ICTE) recognized Bonnie Cameron.
The Kentucky Council of Teachers of English/Language Arts (KCTE/LA) recognized Governor Paul E. Patton.
The New Mexico Council of Teachers of English (NMCTE) recognized Patsy and Nadine Cordova.
The New York State English Council (NYSEC) recognized John Jay High School Students.
The Tennessee Council of Teachers of English (TCTE) and Shelby-Memphis Council of Teachers of English (SMCTE) recognize David Waters.
The Washington State Council of Teachers of English recognized Deborah Jacobs.
2000
The California Association of Teachers of English (CATE) recognized Don Mayfield.
The Indiana Council of Teachers of English recognized Marianne Darr-Norman.
The Kentucky Council of Teachers of English Language Arts recognized Ashland Inc. and CEO, Paul W. Chellgren.
The Montana Association of Teachers of English Language Arts recognized the Administrative Staff, School Board, and English Teachers of Bozeman High School.
The Nebraska English Language Arts Council recognized Peggy Adair.
The Wisconsin Council of Teachers of English Language Arts recognized Ginny Moore Kruse and the Cooperative Children’s Book Center.
1999
The Colorado Language Arts Society (CLAS) recognized Joyce Meskis.
The Indiana Council of Teachers of English (ICTE) recognized Stan Evans.
The Nebraska English Language Arts Council recognized Gerry Cox.
1998
Indiana Council of Teachers of English recognized Rebecca MeElroy and Sandra Kelley.
Kentucky Council of Teachers of English/Language Arts recognized Harold Federson, Principal, and the Central High School Site Based Decision Making Committee.
Minnesota Council of Teachers of English recognized Richard Fischer.
Nebraska English Language Arts Council recognized Carol Gulyas.
Houston Council of Teachers of English (TX) recognized Writer in the Schools (WITS).
Texas Council of Teachers of English recognized Shirley Wright.
1997
Colorado Language Arts Society recognized Alton Barbour.
Missouri Association of Teachers of English recognized Celia (Cissy) Lacks.
Montana Association of Teachers of English Language Arts recognized Mary Sheehy Moe.
Nebraska English Language Arts Council recognized Mel Elaine Krutz.
New York State English Council recognized Bedford parents Rev. Paul Alcorn, Shodie Alcorn, Dr. Jed Berman, Dr. Randy Berman, Neil Ginsberg, Marty-Ann Kerner, Paula Kumar, Susan McCathy, Roda Portell, Rose-Ellen Racanelli, Fred Schlottmann, Siglinde Schlottmann, and Nancy Stein.
Oklahoma Council of Teachers of English recognized Frosty Troy.
Virginia Association of Teachers of English recognized Dr. Robert Small.
Washington State Council of Teachers of English recognized Jim Bodeen and Linda C. Brown.