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Hmnn - I know that you don't think this way - but there are some people on this forum who think that sending children to religious school or homeschooling them = child abuse.
Well, that's kind of weird in my opinion... but everyone is entitled to feel however they want! I went to private schools myself, but they weren't religious - just college preparatory, so a variety of perspectives and materials (some which would be considered controversial in public schools) were covered thoroughly.
What do you think about the Bible in schools? It is a book.
The question wasn't for me, but I will answer, as long as the Bible is being studied as LITERATURE, not the word of God, then I wouldn't have a problem.
The question wasn't for me, but I will answer, as long as the Bible is being studied as LITERATURE, not the word of God, then I wouldn't have a problem.
Well - we are talking about it being in the library and gizmo already assured me that a few copies of the Bible are on the shelves. I don't see how you can prevent a student from studying it as the word of God if they want to do so.
Well - we are talking about it being in the library and gizmo already assured me that a few copies of the Bible are on the shelves. I don't see how you can prevent a student from studying it as the word of God if they want to do so.
Well - we are talking about it being in the library and gizmo already assured me that a few copies of the Bible are on the shelves. I don't see how you can prevent a student from studying it as the word of God if they want to do so.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trackwatch
The child can do whatever they wish on their own.
There's your answer.
Of course we cannot control what they read outside of the classroom, and we especially cannot control how they interpret a book - even one that is taught as part of the curriculum. Do we bar children from going to church/temple on the weekends, or reading religious texts with their families at home?
Not even close! I am not "ultra liberal," actually an independent who only leans left... and again, you obviously don't understand the difference between censorship and selection. I work at a VERY small library with a limited budget, so we simply cannot afford or make space for every single book that was ever published. That's where professional selection comes in, which is done by more people than just me (4 librarians in total), and patrons' needs & wants are considered first. We also have an active inter-library loan service, where nearly every published book can be requested & borrowed for their loaning from another library. In other words, if we're unable to fit a certain title into our book budget, we're always happy to get it from somewhere else. Thus, no banning of anything is supported.
It might surprise you to know this particular community is predominantly Catholic-Latino and usually leans right politically, so I order more books from a conservative & religious perspective than liberal POV/authors. I'm actually working on my annual YA order right now, and have a few Christian/Catholic-themed books on there (like Chicken Soup for the Christian Teen's Soul, for example). So how am I "censoring" or reflecting myself? Please explain, because it makes no sense how you're getting that from my replies.
Sure, why not? Is your degree in Library Science, and have you ever done book selections for a library? Have you recently been given a strict YEARLY budget of $1400 to order new Young Adult books for a population of 35,000? If not, your credentials mean nothing in this debate. I won't tell you how to do your job, whatever it is, so please don't tell me how to do mine.
I should qualify my above comments by repeating that I'm a public librarian, so the rules and perspectives are a bit different in schools. They do have more justification for rejecting books in their collection, but even the School Library Association doesn't support institutional censorship on this level.
So... Like I said earlier, some books are chosen and some books are rejected. It's just that you approve of the methodology, and the outcome. You're claiming that your reasons are more noble than those "crazy right-wing fundie Christians," but they'll claim that their reasons are more noble/moral than yours.
Also, you can argue semantics if you like.
By the way, have you selected Martha Beck's book, Expecting Adam? If not, why not? And if you have not, why should I not claim that you've censored it?
The question wasn't for me, but I will answer, as long as the Bible is being studied as LITERATURE, not the word of God, then I wouldn't have a problem.
But why would you have a problem with it if the Bible was being studied as the Word of God? Why is that not allowed? Is there a legitimate reason to censor it?
So... Like I said earlier, some books are chosen and some books are rejected. It's just that you approve of the methodology, and the outcome. You're claiming that your reasons are more noble than those "crazy right-wing fundie Christians," but they'll claim that their reasons are more noble/moral than yours.
Also, you can argue semantics if you like.
By the way, have you selected Martha Beck's book, Expecting Adam? If not, why not? And if you have not, why should I not claim that you've censored it?
Ahhh - give gizmo a break. She works with a small budget and has to find the books that are neccesary and interesting to her local community - and factor in the demographics of the primary users. She can't order every book - so she has to use some selective criteria. That does not = censorship. If you think it does - then if you live in California -advocate for more funding for her library budget - get the lawmakers to give her so much financial flexibility that every book that exists will be in that library. Then you can criticize.
But why would you have a problem with it if the Bible was being studied as the Word of God? Why is that not allowed? Is there a legitimate reason to censor it?
Trackwatch is talking about public school teacher led curriculum using the Bible - not independent student use.
If you have a conservative - like me - correcting you - you are doing something wrong.
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Is your degree in Library Science, and have you ever done book selections for a library? Have you recently been given a strict YEARLY budget of $1400 to order new Young Adult books for a population of 35,000? If not, your credentials mean nothing in this debate. I won't tell you how to do your job, whatever it is, so please don't tell me how to do mine.
