I too stir the pot. I do a lesson with 5th graders. I stress that everyone has an
opinion and they are entitled to it. the problem comes in when one person imposes
that opinion on everyone. I tell the kids tha tif their parents were to request
that they not read certain books I would honor that request, but not remove the
book from everyone. One of these days I will get an angry call but I still feel
strongly about educating youngsters about censorship. If a book offends you, return
it and get something else.
--
Pam Gelbmann, Media Specialist
Wilson Elem. MN
Pam.Gelbmann@comcast.net
"In the nonstop tsunami of global information librarians provide us
with floaties and teach us to swim."
--Linton Weeks, Washington Post, January 13, 2001
-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: MOLLY CLARK <mclark2@PHOENIX.K12.NY.US>
> Okay, David's letter has made me really paranoid about my Banned Books
> Week lessons in which I deliberately stir the pot by showing kids the
> naked man in Shel Silverstein's book or give them "banned" books and ask
> them to discover what people think is wrong. Talk about opening a can
> of worms....
>
> It's a great topic for discussion and the kids get so passionate about
> it, but I can hear the conversations at home now.
>
> How sad that we have to think like this.
>
>
> Molly Clark
> Intermediate Librarian
> Michael Maroun Elementary School
> Phoenix, NY
> mclark2@phoenix.k12.ny.us
>
> "What a school thinks about its library, is a measure of what it thinks
> about education." Harold Howe, former U.S. Commissioner of Education
>
> >>> David Lininger <tss003@TNP.MORE.NET> 09/26/07 3:48 PM >>>
> Harry Coffill wrote:
>
> >OK. I'll keep it "even-keel."
> >
> >Even giving all of your follow-ups, did you really think that a
> list-serv of librarians was going to back up censorship?
> >
>
> I wasn't going to join this discussion, but a comment that I overheard
> today got me to thinking. In our lawsuit-happy society today, just
> imagine what would happen if some little child came home from school and
>
> said something like, "Mommy, the librarian showed us a picture of a
> n*k*d boy today." (vowels omitted purposely). If Mommy is at all upset
> with the school prior to this little "report," what do you think will
> happen? Do you really think that Mommy will calmly make an appointment
> to talk to the librarian BEFORE talking to anyone else? The fortunate
> librarian will be the one in which Mommy calls the principal first. In
> all too many cases, Mommy will call the local television station first.
> How supportive will your principal be when the tv news crew shows up and
>
> asks, "Why is your librarian showing pictures of n*k*d boys in school?"
> Since most elementary librarians are women, this opens up another whole
> issue. Now imagine if this is in a smaller District (like mine) where
> the superintendent's office is right next door to the principal's
> office.
>
> What is censorship to one librarian may be proactive thinking to
> another. Yes, it is a sad state of affairs when our actions are governed
>
> by "what might be" rather than common sense. As someone else has said,
> though, what used to be known as common sense is far from common these
> days.
>
> Take this for what it cost you.
>
>
> --
> David Lininger, kb0zke,
> MS/HS librarian
> Hickory County R-1 Schools
> Urbana, MO 65767
> 417-993-4226
> tss003 at tnp dot more dot net
>
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