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I'm on the "left" if it makes any difference. This book banning comes up from time to time, over and over and over.
As a former school librarian with a masters in library and information services, we were taught NOT to ban books.
Teach critical thinking and the kids can figure it out. Ideally, the kids read the books in class along with the teacher to explain.
These fanatics are doing more harm than good because they will create a backlash and because if books are banned, kids don't learn about history and how times change.
After considerable digging, I did find the original Shoen survey questions, and responses.
I really DON'T understand how NPR came up with these numbers - the survey and results reflect that both millennials and older Americans have a really good working knowledge of nazis and the Holocaust.
It was really heartening to read through the actual study and numbers that NPR is referencing, because that almost made me cry at how we could have failed so miserably teaching this important lesson. Anyway, good news. Apparently the Millennials demonstrate pretty thorough knowledge of the Holocaust.
I'm not banning anything. Or removing any books from curriculum. I'm just sitting around wasting time chatting on a forum.
I will say, I served on a committee that considered which books belong in the public school middle school library and I never nixed any of the books on the list. So there's that. I wouldn't have been thrilled that all those books were taught and required in the classroom, but allowing access in the library is fine. A positive.
And really, how very odd to compare Nazis with American Liberals. Exactly the opposite. It was liberals who ran the safe houses and tried to protect those who were targeted. How in the world do you not know this?
How odd that you cannot see that liberals have gone to the dark side. They ARE the new Marxist/Nazi party. Do as we say, say only what we permit, do not protect your cities from our destruction and takeover, don't complain when we censor, tear down American historical statues including George Washington....... or we will literally ruin your life, get you fired and/or go after your family. That's their new ideology. How in the world can you not see that.
I`m a Democrat and I oppose banning books. Would you like it if I was to say "All Republicans are gun hugging racists"? That even felt stupid typing it.
Um, banning books is nothing new. It's always happened, which is why the American Library Association has their annual Banned Books Week, to promote frequently and historically challenged/banned titles.
Harper Lee and Mark Twain have been banned in cities and towns and school districts throughout the US for decades. And, the truth is that conservative areas are as likely, if not more likely, to ban and/or destroy books.
I don't believe in censorship, so I don't believe in banning any book (and I'm a liberal, as are most of my colleagues), but I have to wonder how many of you choosing to suddenly become enraged about this very old news issue have ever even read To Kill a Mockingbird or The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, or many (classic) books at all, for that matter.
I think at least some people complaining about this almost never pick up a book, and are only using this issue as an excuse to be angry at "leftists."
Lots of you think studying literature is a waste of time, but now you're going to suddenly pretend to be advocates for it? What a riot.
I'm on the "left" if it makes any difference. This book banning comes up from time to time, over and over and over.
As a former school librarian with a masters in library and information services, we were taught NOT to ban books.
Teach critical thinking and the kids can figure it out. Ideally, the kids read the books in class along with the teacher to explain.
These fanatics are doing more harm than good because they will create a backlash and because if books are banned, kids don't learn about history and how times change.
Hopefully your teacher told the students about the US lies regarding Bay of Tonkin to justify bombing, about the My Lai massacre and about "destroy the village in order to save it".
I’m going to respond to this rather...provocative comment.
I do not recall My Lai being covered, but believe Gulf of Tonkin was covered. We are talking a liberal MN school district here. But those topics were not covered in depth, I’m sure for a variety of reasons, including time constraints. However, I learned about all those events later on my own. If you recall, the Vietnam War was a very prominent topic in movies, magazine articles, tv series, and talk shows during that time. Oprah even covered aspects of it.
My independent efforts outside of the classroom revealed how complex the entire event was. The evils perpetuated by Lt. Calley and everyone involved during and after My Lai, was balanced by the goodness and extreme bravery displayed by W.O. Hugh Thompson Jr., his helicopter crew, and the military officials and citizens who objected to the leniency received by Calley, his bosses and fellow soldier perpetrators following their trials.
I will never consciously judge people as a group, instead I always consider the individuals, no matter their numbers.
Last edited by mingna; 06-20-2020 at 01:47 PM..
Reason: Misspelling
Um, banning books is nothing new. It's always happened, which is why the American Library Association has their annual Banned Books Week, to promote frequently and historically challenged/banned titles.
Harper Lee and Mark Twain have been banned in cities and towns and school districts throughout the US for decades. And, the truth is that conservative areas are as likely, if not more likely, to ban and/or destroy books.
I don't believe in censorship, so I don't believe in banning any book (and I'm a liberal, as are most of my colleagues), but I have to wonder how many of you choosing to suddenly become enraged about this very old news issue have ever even read To Kill a Mockingbird or The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, or many (classic) books at all, for that matter.
I think at least some people complaining about this almost never pick up a book, and are only using this issue as an excuse to be angry at "leftists."
Lots of you think studying literature is a waste of time, but now you're going to suddenly pretend to be advocates for it? What a riot.
As a librarian, how do you choose where to draw the line between banning a book and deciding that a particular book is not appropriate for the population you are serving? As an example, on your first link, one of the books listed is Final Exit by Derek Humphry. For those who don't know, this book is a suicide manual. Literally, it teaches its readers the nuts and bolts of how to commit suicide by various methods. I would suggest that this book is inappropriate for ANY school library.
As a librarian, how do you choose where to draw the line between banning a book and deciding that a particular book is not appropriate for the population you are serving? As an example, on your first link, one of the books listed is Final Exit by Derek Humphry. For those who don't know, this book is a suicide manual. Literally, it teaches its readers the nuts and bolts of how to commit suicide by various methods. I would suggest that this book is inappropriate for ANY school library.
I agree with you. It's an adult book published for an adult audience, so I doubt any school librarian would select it.
To answer your question, though, professional librarians use reviews published in professional journals and other authoritative sources as a primary collection development method.
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