So you never took your kids to an art museum in elementary school?
I volunteered in my kids school library in elementary and middle school. Kids seek out books, not the other way around. I had so many kids ask me about the Hunger Games in elementary school. We did not carry it- they would get mad. I bet there are a lot of kids seeking out the books on these lists because parents have made a big stink about it.
If parents are truly concerned about their children being exposed to things they donât condone they should take the phone out of their hands.
Parents have a right to voice their opinions as to what books their children read and have access to read at the elementary, middle and high school levels. Just because a child wants to read a book doesnât mean they should.
After reading the summaries of many of the books in question, I can definitely see why parents are objecting to them.
If those books are critical reading for some, they are available at public libraries or can be read on the ubiquitous phones (which kids should not have until at least 9th grade IMO).
Parents can voice their opinions, but opinions vary. Maybe there should be an opt out/in they can sign. I ran book fair in middle school. There were a few books we could not sell to 6th graders without parent permission.
If you want total control of what your child reads, maybe private or home school is the answer.
I recently placed an order for several of the banned books on the list. I figured if someone doesnât want them to be read, they must have things in them that would broaden my worldview and I should check it out. Anxiously awaiting my copy of Maus, among others!
Back in my school days we just shared copies with each other. I doubt much is different now. If parents are insistent about keeping a bubble, they need to homeschool. Not all homeschoolers keep a bubble - we didnât - but donât expect a public school to do that for folks.
I just looked at one of the list of books- so many have to do with race. One was required reading for my girls in high school. I guess if we donât teach it or let kids read it, it must not exist. Ignorance is bliss.
Iâm always surprised with how many parents I know, go above and beyond to control what books their kids read and agree with banning certain books from libraries. BUT, they donât supervise what their kids do on their phone. They let their kids have computers in their rooms. They say they canât control what their kids do onlineâŠfeels like weâre spending too much time on the wrong thingâŠ
If they let Junior or Juniorette go to the public school and have friends there, chances are theyâll share reading materials - just like my friends did back in the day. It might have been âmensâ magazines or various books that told a bit within them. Computers and phones can be shared in public schools too.
Itâs human nature that if the school bans something, the kids are more curious than ever - even those who normally wouldnât want to read!
The school isnât a bubble even if they donât carry something in the library - and theyâve made it more attractive reading.
I worked in a public school for 2 decades and went to one myself back in the day. Do you really think âtough noogiesâ = they wonât be able to read it? Not my experience at all in either school.
Just because banning a book stay make it more attractive to read isnât a good enough reason to keep it.
I stand by my original statement. Parents have a right to determine what is appropriate for their children to read.
From reading the article it appears that there is a process in place to determine whether books should be pulled from a library. If that process is being short-circuited then that is a problem and it should be addressed and rectified. However if the process was followed properly and it was determined that the book was inappropriate then parents have the option of either changing the process if they donât agree with it or living with the outcomes.
No, but my daughter knows thereâs consequences if she does. Weâve enforced them a few times until she got it. At the same time, sheâs seeing a world of literary choices, including vintage classics.
Of course, when there is a shared resource like a school or public library, the line gets fuzzy between parents controlling what their own kids read versus controlling what other kids read. Should the public or school library stock only the intersection of sets of books acceptable to all parents (i.e. most restricted set of books), or the union of those sets of books (i.e. least restricted set of books)? Or something in between (and how is that to be determined?)?