Cancelling Dr. Seuss

[marshwiggle]

As far as "ideology" is concerned, there are probably lots of books encouraging honesty, compassion, respect, etc. that do so without getting into all kinds of controversy. It is entirely reasonable to have civic expectation of how people should act towards one another; it's very dangerous government overreach to prescribe how people should think about everyone else.

In other words, we should avoid anything that might upset your ideological platform (you do realize you also have a very clear "ideology" too, right?).  Nothing is "controversial" unless we decide to make it controversial.

Really, truly think about honesty, compassion, and respect in these circumstances.  Are you fostering these?

As long as anyone feels the need to reinforce their own ideological platform, this tit-for-tat will continue. Put all of the "banners" from all sides in a room. Tell them " The school library budget for this year is X dollars. You have 48 hours to choose books. Only unanimous choices will be purchased. Any unspent money will disappear." That will show whether anyone cares more about students than about waving their ideological flags. Let the public see what was purchased and how much of the budget was spent and then let them decide who to re-elect in the future.

[dismalist]

I've never heard about fights about what books are to be in the library until fairly recently. The specific books are symbols with different meaning to different people. So, it's not about books! Reminds me of

As a society, we're like the Marlon Brando character Johnny Strabler in The Wild One. "Hey Johnny," a woman asks him, "what are you rebelling against?" His laconic, iconic response: "Whaddya got?" [Nick Gillespie]

[apl68]

Out of curiosity, does anybody here have any personal experience with library selection and collection development?

[jimbogumbo]

Out of curiosity, does anybody here have any personal experience with library selection and collection development?

Only thru siblings who do.

[Scout]

As far as "ideology" is concerned, there are probably lots of books encouraging honesty, compassion, respect, etc. that do so without getting into all kinds of controversy. It is entirely reasonable to have civic expectation of how people should act towards one another; it's very dangerous government overreach to prescribe how people should think about everyone else.

In other words, we should avoid anything that might upset your ideological platform (you do realize you also have a very clear "ideology" too, right?).  Nothing is "controversial" unless we decide to make it controversial.

Really, truly think about honesty, compassion, and respect in these circumstances.  Are you fostering these?

As long as anyone feels the need to reinforce their own ideological platform, this tit-for-tat will continue. Put all of the "banners" from all sides in a room. Tell them " The school library budget for this year is X dollars. You have 48 hours to choose books. Only unanimous choices will be purchased. Any unspent money will disappear." That will show whether anyone cares more about students than about waving their ideological flags. Let the public see what was purchased and how much of the budget was spent and then let them decide who to re-elect in the future.

Advocating for students includes not appeasing people who would deny students access to the wide range of books out there. Hell yes it's ideological- I want gay, black, brown, immigrant, autistic, Jewish, Muslim  etc kids to see themselves represented in books. I want sheltered kids to be stretched. I want abused kids to read about struggling with trauma. I want kids denied knowledge about their bodies to have access to it. The ideology isn't a specific agenda but access to a wide range of experiences, some of them challenging.

Needing complete unanimity results in the most watered down pablum being fed our kids.

[kaysixteen]

Where are all these books coming from?   Where's the money for all these ideologically-agenda-driven books, and where's the library space to house em all?  And, what other titles will be sacrificed in order to do this?

[Wahoo Redux]

As long as anyone feels the need to reinforce their own ideological platform, this tit-for-tat will continue.

Okay buddy, put your money where your mouth is.   Drop your ideological flag.

The people you object to and their ideas are not going away.

[Wahoo Redux]

Advocating for students includes not appeasing people who would deny students access to the wide range of books out there. Hell yes it's ideological- I want gay, black, brown, immigrant, autistic, Jewish, Muslim  etc kids to see themselves represented in books. I want sheltered kids to be stretched. I want abused kids to read about struggling with trauma. I want kids denied knowledge about their bodies to have access to it. The ideology isn't a specific agenda but access to a wide range of experiences, some of them challenging.

Needing complete unanimity results in the most watered down pablum being fed our kids.

I wish The Fora had those "up vote" options. 

[Wahoo Redux]

Where are all these books coming from?   Where's the money for all these ideologically-agenda-driven books, and where's the library space to house em all?  And, what other titles will be sacrificed in order to do this?

They come from publishers for people who care.

[kaysixteen]

You expect the publishers to just donate the books in question to  your local library?   To all local libraries?

And, again, even if that be true, where's the space coming from?  What gets edited out?

[Parasaurolophus]

You expect the publishers to just donate the books in question to  your local library?   To all local libraries?

And, again, even if that be true, where's the space coming from?  What gets edited out?

The books that don't get used much any more, or are in poor condition. I own a ton of books which libraries have purged, including some surprisingly recent titles.

[Wahoo Redux]

You expect the publishers to just donate the books in question to  your local library?   To all local libraries?

And, again, even if that be true, where's the space coming from?  What gets edited out?

These are rhetorical, of course, but the answers are obvious.  The library pays for the books.  They use their budget and space allowance to buy what they feel is appropriate and serves the community.  What gets edited out and edited in depends upon the librarians' judgment.

Sorry that does not always conform to your ideology.  But then again, perhaps you should examine your ideology.

[ciao_yall]

Where are all these books coming from?   Where's the money for all these ideologically-agenda-driven books, and where's the library space to house em all?  And, what other titles will be sacrificed in order to do this?

Can someone please name a non-ideologically-driven book? Waiting...

[waterboy]

Dictionary?

[marshwiggle]

Dictionary?

Encyclopedias, science books, biographies, lots of fiction.

(Yes, any of these can be written with a particular slant, but there are lots written without the goal of trying to change peoples' minds about something, but merely to give enjoyment to people who wanted to read them. Just like some people eat broccoli because they like it doesn't mean that it should be included as an essential ingredient in an institutional diet.)

Another issue to consider is whether everything in a school library can be assigned reading by teachers, or can be read out loud in class. If there is a distinction between books that students are free to choose for themselves and those that they are going to have to read or have read to them, then that would also potentially reduce some of the tension. (In a society with trigger warnings, where students are allowed to absent themselves for certain discussions, it's inconsistent to not much such allowances for specific political or ideological discussions which could be equally upsetting.)