Summary: MLA Statement on Content Warnings

October 2017

The MLA affirms that usage of content warnings in classrooms is a matter of pedagogical accessibility and professional ethics.
- We issue this statement in response to pervasive misinformation about and politicization of the aims of content warnings.
Used at the discretion of instructors, content warnings serve as advance notification of difficult material. These warnings enable participants to engage effectively with the material.
Content warnings should not serve the purpose of avoiding challenging or controversial content. Instead, they should encourage students to create their own individual strategy for engagement and to cultivate a deeper interaction with texts and media.