KNOXVILLE – English teacher James Yoakley knows a thing
or two about censorship. As journalism adviser for Lenoir City High School
for six years\, Yoakley juggled student expression with the public school
’s censoring of student publications. He will share his experiences at the
next Knoxville Writers’ Guild meeting.
The event\, wh ich will be open to the public\, will begin at 7 p.m.\, Thursday\, Sept. 6 \, at the Laurel Theater\, at the corner of Laurel Avenue and 16th Street in Fort Sanders.
\nA $2 donat ion is requested at the door. The building is handicapped accessible. Addi tional parking is available at Redeemer Church of Knoxville\, 1642 Highlan d Ave.
\nLast May\, Yoakley was removed from his position as LCHS En glish department chair and journalism adviser after the release of the 201 1-12 LCHS yearbook. The yearbook’s theme was “In My Element” and included a profile of a gay student written by a student on the yearbook staff. The controversy received national attention after Van Shaver\, a Loudon Count y school board member\, called for Yoakley’s termination.
\nYoakley\ , who was transferred to Lenoir City Middle School by Lenoir City superint endent Wayne Miller following the controversy\, will talk about this and o ther incidents at the meeting.
\n“I will be speaking about my experi ences this year with high school journalism and censorship\,” he said.
\nLCHS and the journalism department also made national news in Februar y\, when an editorial entitled\, “No Rights: The Life of an Atheist\,” wri tten by the school newspaper’s student editor\, Krystal Myers\, was censor ed by school administrators.
\nYoakley taught at LCHS for 11 years\, serving five years as department chair. The yearbooks he advised have rec eived numerous recognitions from both the Columbia Scholastic Press Associ ation and the National Scholastic Press Association. In 2010\, he presente d at the National Council of Teachers of English Convention.
\nAddit ional information about the Knoxville Writers’ Guild and its events can b e found at www.knoxvillewri tersguild.org.
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