Final answer:
Censorship is when material is removed from the curriculum or library, restricting others' access. While the Supreme Court has permitted some content restrictions in schools for educational reasons, unjustified removal of material can violate First Amendment rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
When someone attempts to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting access of others, it is called censorship. This form of content restriction can occur in educational settings when individuals or groups decide that certain materials are inappropriate or objectionable. Examples of this include removing books that are considered offensive or controversial or altering curricula to exclude particular viewpoints. The removal of material can infringe upon First Amendment rights in the context of public education if it limits the free exchange of ideas.
In landmark cases like Tinker v. Des Moines and Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier, the Supreme Court has acknowledged that while students do not shed their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse gate, there might be some legitimate pedagogical concerns that justify certain restrictions. Nevertheless, when such restrictions on speech are used to suppress a particular viewpoint or controversial subject matter without a valid educational rationale, it raises serious censorship and First Amendment concerns.