Winter 2007 marked an episode of high anxiety in the library science profession, when the latest Newbery winner, "The Higher Power of Lucky," triggered discussion about words and their suitability for young readers. It seems that the entire world now knows that the word "scrotum" appears on the first page of the book. School library media specialists (SLMSs) feared being confronted by accusatory parents or inflamed teachers who would not want to teach that vocabulary lesson. Acting as self-censors, some librarians openly declared they would not purchase the book. Other SLMSs were surprised at this response, cognizant of the basics of the First Amendment and the right to read. They knew the courts have low regard for book banning based on one word, or on book banning in general when its intent is to suppress diverse viewpoints. This article reviews the First Amendment rights for students and presents several landmark cases that demonstrate how K-12 students have been accorded these rights. (Contains 4 online resources.)