I live about 25 minutes from Gary, so this article caught my eye. It's not super recent, but happened this school year.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/slj/newslettersnewsletterbucketextrahelping2/889405-477/indiana_district_removes_tyrell_from.html.csp
First of all, in defense of the mother, I have to question why a school would put a book that is reviewed at a high school level into an elementary school. I'd like to know what sort of collection policies they follow in the school system. I can understand her outrage.
I don't agree with her method, though. She should have talked to the school librarian... or someone at the school. There was no reason to go straight to a lawyer. And there was no reason for the lawyer to go straight to the press. That lawyer should have done his homework to discover the school's policies and procedures for challenging a book.
In all honesty, this is a situation that should never have been discussed in a blog, because it never should have made its way to the press. The school dealt with the situation of a book clearly being misplaced. Are the mother and her lawyer out of line for asking that the rest of the collection be re-evaluated? Maybe. It's not really her place to decide what other children can or should read. The situation has all the potential of becoming a witch hunt. But I can see where the school corporation may need to revisit their policies and consider some changes to their selection and placement procedures.
For some reason I find it slightly amusing in a very backward kind of way that once they done with schools they might go after the public libraries next. It does very much sound like a witch hunt, which is sad. It seems to me that they are blowing the whole situation of of proportion, by going to a lawyer first, the press second and then finally going to to the school. You would think that as a parent you would approach your child's teacher or even principle before going for outside help. It almost seems as though the mother just wants the attention.
ReplyDeleteOh wow, there are so many things wrong with the case it's unbelievable. Talk about a book ban case gone wrong!
ReplyDeleteFirst, the librarian chose the book because it was listed on an African American book list, but did not consider that the age was beyond elementary.
Secondly, the mother went straight to a lawyer rather than to the school or library. That woman has too much time and money on her hands and is looking to set an example.
Thirdly, the mother wants the entire library examined for more books that could be equally as inappropriate.
Finally, the child is going to therapy after reading this book because he may not realize the story is fiction? Give me a break! Again, we are talking about an irate mother with too much money and time who is looking for someone to crucify. Also, this is Gary, IN which isn’t exactly rural/safe part of Indiana. Certainly the story isn’t that far from their news coverage.
Wow... I agree... why on earth would an elementary librarian choose this book. Did she not even look at it when it arrived? But the mother and lawyer not following the challenge procedures through the school district is very bizarre behavior indeed. It does give you chills if you are an elementary librarian though to think of the media being brought into a case like this immediately.
ReplyDeleteYikes! Based on the school's web page for the media center, I have to wonder what their policy even looks like, if they have one! Hopefully, they learned their lesson with this case and created a really good policy to back them up! I wish we could access the policy but I was unable to find it. :(
ReplyDeleteI liked what the author said here - "I don't think there were any lasting effects," Booth says. "It didn't make me want to do what was in the books. If anything it made me want to avoid those things." I read all kinds of books that were above my grade level and understanding as a kid - V.C. Andrews, free Harlequins - I didn't get the sex stuff but I always just skipped over anything I didn't get anyway. Big deal! I am totally unscarred. Well, the Harlequins made me suspicious of romance novels.
ReplyDeleteThe thing is, this poor kid did exactly the right thing - he didn't understand the content so he went to his mother to talk about it - and she flipped out in a way that has probably completely embarrassed and shamed him in his school. It is unlikely he will talk to her the next time he doesn't understand something.