Claudia Johnson's battle for free speech began on a hot summer day in 1986 `she was sitting by her stepfathers pool, drink in hand. It was here, while engaged in lazy conversation, when she learned of the local preacher's intention to ban Chaucer's "The Miller's Tale" and Aristophanes's "Lysistrata" from the high school curriculum.
"I went electric when I found out about this," Johonson exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air.
Johnson, the Screenwriter in Residence at the Florida State University and mother of Anne Loomis '99, preceded to go through a five year struggle against censorship that culminated with her being the first recipient of the PEN/ Newman's Own First Amendment Award.
Johnson will describe her battle in a lecture today at 4 p.m. in 13 Carpenter Hall.
PEN is an organization made of poets, essayists and novelists and Newman's Own is a company owned by actor Paul Newman that manufactures food products, like salad dressing.
In an interview with The Dartmouth, Johnson said she was shocked by the breech of free speech in 1986.
"I never dreamed they would be banned," she said. "Two other parents and I were just shocked and outraged."
Johnson, who had legal standing in the case because her daughter and son, although not yet attending the high school, were in the same school system, she said. Aalong with the other outraged parents she waged a five year court battle against the rural Florida town's school board.
Ten years later, after winning the court battle to restore the two works to the curriculum, Johnson has waged a second struggle. This time she is fighting to restore John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men to the classrooms of neighboring Suwanne High School.
Johnson also completed a book about her first struggle.
In recognition of her work as an advocate of free speech, Johnson was the first recipient of PEN/ Newman's Own First Amendment Award which is given each year "to an individual who has courageously fought, in the face of adversity, to safeguard the First Amendment right to Freedom of expression."
In addition to receiving a sculpture and $25,000 as part of this award, Johnson shared dinner with Paul Newman and his wife at New York City's Tavern on the Green.
Johnson said she was chosen because she fought two censorship battles and because the panel of first amendment experts who selected her were "impressed by how much I learned about what was successful" in waging the battle against censorship.
Johnson said her first struggle taught her it is not always wise to be too bold or too vocal in defending free speech.
An unlikely activist
Johnson, who earned a bachelor's degree at Oklahoma University, a masters degree in English at the University of California at Berkely and a master's degree in folklore at Indiana University, said she never envisioned herself as a champion of free speech prior to learning of the banning of "The Miller's Tale" and "Lysistrata" in her children's school district.
"Before then the First Amendment seemed safe," she said
When explaining her interest in free speech, Johnson emphatically said, "Free speech is the foundation of a free society."
"It's a real gut thing," she said, clenching her fists. "I get a visceral response when people tell me what my kids can read."
"My kids are living proof that the censors are wrong," she added.
Johnson said she has heard some bizarre reasons to ban certain books.
Some people wanted to ban Little Red Riding Hood because they felt the wine in her picnic basket promotes alcoholism, she said.
Johnson said the most ridiculous excuse she heard for a book being banned was the case of a children's story titled "The Stupids Have a Ball."
"People wanted to ban the book because they thought the chicken on Mrs. Stupid's head promotes cruelty to animals," she said incredulously.
"I am not surprised, but I never cease to be shocked," she said.
Writing across four genres
Johnson, who has written drama, fiction, nonfiction and film, said her life's single ambition has been writing.
"Since the age of 10, I wanted to be a writer and a mother," she said.
Johnson said her book "Stifled Laughter: One Woman's Story About Fighting Censorship," demanded a 10 year hiatus from her initial interest, writing novels.
The memoir was published in 1994 and was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize.
Johnson is currently working on a fictional screenplay based on her appearance as an expert witness in appearance as an expert witness in a criminal obscenity video case.
Last May, Florida's attorney general pressed criminal charges against a small video store for renting gay pornographic videos, Johnson said.
She said the jury decided against the state in less than 30 minutes.
"It was a fascinating process," she enthusiastically declared. "The Attorney General clearly had a homophobic agenda and the jury sensed that right away."
Johonson said in her fictionalized account a female lawyer inherits a similar case when her brother is involved in gay-bashing.
Johnson said, ideally, she envisions Holly Hunter playing the leading role. "I have a friend who is her best friend," she quipped hopefully.
Johnson has written screenplays for The Dukes of Hazard, The Caitlins and two documentaries commissioned by the National Endowment for the Arts. She has written several award-winning full-length plays.
Johnson said her first play, which was written in 1976 when she was attending Indiana University, was a children's story about a spoiled rich rat who lived in the basement of Piffany's jewelry store.
Laughing, Johnson explained the story was a take on Tiffany's jewelry story. The rat family tradition was making diamonds, and one day three mice, Ice, Dice and Lice, stole the diamond recipe, and, in order to preserve the family business, the rat had to go out into New York and track down the diamonds.
"It was a scream," she bellowed. "It's a coming of age rat story."
An open classroom
Johnson, who is currently Screenwriter-in-Residence at the Florida State University School of Motion Picture, Television and Recording Arts, said her passion for free speech is evident in the open environment she fosters in her classroom.
Johnson proudly described the atmosphere in her screenplay-writing class as "open and free-wheeling."
"Visitors are knocked out by the energy and openness of my classroom," she said.
Johnson said she considers the most important part of her job eliciting the best work possible from her students. She said she feels this can only be achieved in an open and honest environment.
"When students first enter my classroom they work on a menu of their own personal concerns," she said. "I put tremendous value on openness."
Johnson said many of her students are now doing well in Hollywood and have won recognition for their films at the Telluride Music Festival.
"We are just smoking," she said.
Johnson concluded the interview by stating, "Free speech is the lifeblood of what I do as a writer and as a teacher."
"The First Amendment really informs my work -- It's scary,"
she added.
Johnson was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and grew up in Texas and Oklahoma. She currently lives with her husband and son in Tallahassee.
