[bookshare-discuss] Re: Banned Books Week
- From: "Patti Johnson" <pat1206@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 16:21:58 -0500
I am in agreement with you, Monica. There are several books on that list that
should not be in school libraries for my part.
But there sure is a question why they would want to ban some others though.
Patti
If you don't want to be accused of having a narrow mind, then stop blaming
everything on the dog.
----- Original Message -----
From: Monica Willyard
To: bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Sunday, September 30, 2007 2:55 PM
Subject: [bookshare-discuss] Re: Banned Books Week
I think I'm in the minority on this one. I'll speak up anyhow. I think
some of these books should be reserved for adult library collections and
that it is appropriate to remove them from school libraries. Many of
them discuss topics that are not meant for children. While I agree that
adults should have access to the books they want to read, it seems to me
that some restraint is necessary with children in a school library.
Several of you have said that it's the parent's job to screen books and
discuss them. I agree with that sentiment. Have you stopped to consider
the practical implications of this in regard to a school library? A
parent cannot physically accompany a child to their school library since
that is done during school hours. Our school's library closes 10 minutes
after the final class lets out. Furthermore, many public schools require
parents to get a special pass to gain access to the school. This makes a
parent's job more difficult since it would be seen as disruptive for a
parent to spend each day at school with her child in order to make sure
she picks age-appropriate books from the library. It would also prevent
that parent from earning a living while the child is in school. Because
of the limited access parents have, I believe the schools do bear some
of the burden of putting age-appropriate books on their shelves and
clearly marking or separating books that are for mature audiences only.
I don't want an 8-year-old to have access to a book about the joy of
sex, gay or straight. Nor do I think a 10-year-old is ready to handle
The Handmaid's Tale. I would feel the same way about a child reading
Tim LaHaye's The Act Of Marriage which is a Christian book about marital
sex. All of these books deal with topics that are best handled by adults
who have the ability to understand and respond to their content in a
mature way. I do think book banning in a public library is a problem
since parents can access that collection with their children. When it
comes to schools though, I think banning books on adult topics makes
sense since children don't have their parents' input and can check out
whatever they find on the shelves.
Monica Willyard
To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank Email to
bookshare-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the Subject line. To get a list of
available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.
--
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.13.35/1039 - Release Date: 9/29/2007
9:46 PM
Other related posts:
