As I said to someone else a few hours ago, I think most of this discussion
is not about whether or not parents should be responsible for what their
kids read. It is not really about who has access to what material, but how
that material is classified. I don't have a problem with restricting kids
access to books (well actually I do, but I understand why people find it
necessary). I do however have a problem with the haphazard methodologies
applied to what books fall into what category. I cited an example in a
previous message of a book that was definitely adult in nature, but clearly
intended for teenagers. I've also found books classified as adult on
Bookshare because they discussed abortion. There's something unsettling
about that.
They're two connected, but separate issues, and I think some people are
confusing them.
At 08:23 PM 1/17/2005, you wrote:
Allison,
Some exposure to adult content may not be entirely bad for kids. But we're not just talking about a simple picture book. There are some books with extremely explicit material and it could be a problem if kids (particularly younger ones) had access to it. For one thing, if they were young enough, it might confuse them. For another, it could arouse curiosity. Curiosity isn't always bad, depending on the consequences. I just know that if I had children and they were members of a sight like this one, I would want a system in place that would provide some limitations. I do, however, agree that the choice should be left up to the parents whether or not adult content is blocked from there kids. I just think it's good to have a system like this so that parents have that option to block it. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Allison" <alwaysallie@xxxxxxxxxxx> To: "Volunteer List" <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Monday, January 17, 2005 6:01 PM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: adult ratings Re: Re: Uh oh -- re weird, Adult rating
> I'm trying not to take a strong position on adult ratings one way or > another, but this topic brought something to mind. A lil story that may > provide some insight into the nature of kids. > > My friend Jenna's mom worked in a book store. On days that she had to work > and Jenna was off school, Jenna would go up there with her and hang out. > Sometimes I'd go over there with them. I remember when I was about nine, > and Jenna eight, she took me to the back of the store to look at some books > with some > pictures of naked people in them. We did it very secretly, with a lot of > giggling, and with a good > deal of relish over this forbidden fruit. As I remember it, the book wasn't > even terribly exciting. I think it was an anatomy book, or maybe one of > those growing up type ones. The pictures were hardly scandalous. But to > us, they were the height of mysterious adult literature. Look at all those > parts! We eventually > outlived the amusement, put the book back, and no one else was none the > wiser. As far as I know, neither Jenna nor I have suffered any lasting > damage from such a venture. It was just the experience of two kids, > existing in the generally unsensored world we live in. > > Just some food for thought. > > Allison. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Mary Otten" <maryotten@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Monday, January 17, 2005 4:02 PM > Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: adult ratings Re: Re: Uh oh -- re weird, Adult > rating > > > > Interesting theory, Mike. But I actually wonder if there is such a service > > regarding "adult" rating" and what it might mean. When I think of stuff > > rated adult, for example, I tend to think of films that might get an X > > rating or > > more than one x, thus keeping people under 18 out of the theater. but > > with a library, a kid can go in there and look in any section he or she > > wants. Librarians can't censor what kids look at in the stacks, That's > > their > > parents job, if they feel so inclined and wish to enforce such rules. But > > here, with the BookShare audience, they somehow feel compeled to do > > parents' jobs for them and restrict access to the stacks, as it were. If a > > library can't restrict which aisle of a library a 14-year-old walks down > > and which books she picks off the shelf, why should BookShare? Why does > > BookShare have more legal exposure in this regard than a library > > would? But I do agree that it would be nice to take the matter of these > > ratings out of the hands of people with vastly different standards or > > those of the equally arbitrary "naughty word" checker. I wonder if > > parents of > > young people under 18 or the schools who get accounts for those young > > people understand just how hit and miss this whole system is. You could > > have an extremely conservative person who feels that just one or two > > mild curse words are sufficient that a child shouldn't see the book, so > > they call it adult and restrict access to anybody under 18. Or you could > > have somebody who does not believe in such ratings and who would > > never assign the rating no matter what the book's content. And there are > > all shades in between. > > Personally, I think the rating is far too broad, treating kindergarteners > > the same as high school seniors, with respect to the material that they > > can have access to. Maybe what they should have done is have a special > > kids rating that could be put on books intended for kids elementary level > > or younger, rather than trying to define what "adult" means. But that > > didn't happen. > > Mary > > > > > > > > >
Gently they go, the beautiful, the tender, the kind; Quietly they go, the intelligent, the witty, the brave. I know. But I do not approve. And I am not resigned.
-- 'Dirge Without Music', Edna St. Vincent Millay
