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Censorship row as Kirk’s publishers drop student book

Students on one of the country's leading creative writing courses, at Glasgow University, have accused the publishing wing of the Church of Scotland of attempted censorship after its publishing offshoot, the St Andrew Press, said it would not print their stories unless robust language was toned down or removed.

Compilations [of short stories] were published in 2006 and 2007 and this year the students hoped to do something similar and approached St Andrew Press, which, after a meeting last December, appeared keen to publish.

However, the students organising and editing the compilation, Fiona Rintoul and Susan Kemp, say the publisher dropped out in May. St Andrew Press suggested changes, mainly toning down or removing swearing, which the students refused.

Ann Crawford, head of publishing at St Andrew Press, suggested to Ms Kemp at the beginning of May that the stories should be changed, specifically the use of God and Christ as "expletives" in three stories, and "stronger swearing" in eight others.

She said one story, Devout Observer by CJ Begg, might not be accepted at all because it was "offensive to religions".

It was suggested that members of the Church of Scotland might "react very negatively to offensive swearing" especially the use of the "f" and "c" words.

Full story at The Herald.