Another Seuss Cancellation Thread (Summer 2023)

[jimbogumbo]

Only liberals cancel? Well, maybe not so much. https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/19/opinions/dolly-parton-conservative-liberal-centrism-hope/index.html

[jimbogumbo]

Meanwhile, back in library land: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/school-librarians-banned-books-investigation-texas-rcna161444

[Wahoo Redux]

IHE: Indiana Argues Professors Lack First Amendment Rights in Public Classrooms

[Wahoo Redux]

IHE: Leading Republican Wants Sweeping Investigation of Colleges' DEI Spending

Cassidy is asking for an accounting of federal financial aid dollars that went toward operating DEI offices over the past five years. He has also requested a breakdown of how many institutions mandate DEI training for students and employees, and how many require students to take at least one DEI-related class in order to graduate, among other items.

This describes at least one college that I worked for.

[jimbogumbo]

Utah has a law that allows a very small (imo) number of schools to trigger a statewide ban in public schools: https://abcnews.go.com/US/utah-bans-13-books-public-schools-statewide-including/story?id=112680897

[Wahoo Redux]

Utah has a law that allows a very small (imo) number of schools to trigger a statewide ban in public schools: https://abcnews.go.com/US/utah-bans-13-books-public-schools-statewide-including/story?id=112680897

I'm not a parent, so maybe that changes one's perspective, but when I see these sorts of objections to literary material, I have to wonder if parents have any idea what their teenagers are talking and thinking about (and looking up online) when the parents are not around.

[marshwiggle]

Utah has a law that allows a very small (imo) number of schools to trigger a statewide ban in public schools: https://abcnews.go.com/US/utah-bans-13-books-public-schools-statewide-including/story?id=112680897

I'm not a parent, so maybe that changes one's perspective, but when I see these sorts of objections to literary material, I have to wonder if parents have any idea what their teenagers are talking and thinking about (and looking up online) when the parents are not around.

If schools are able to quietly (or not so quietly) unilaterally ban books like "Huckleberry Finn", then it's not too surprising that parents feel they should be able to get books banned. At least if the parents' actions require some greater public debate, then that's an improvement over schools' under-the-radar actions.

Perhaps the way to ratchet this down a notch is to establish a clear, democratic, open process for getting books added or banned. Getting the loudest ideologues from both ends of the political spectrum reined in would be better for all, especially the students.

[jimbogumbo]

Utah has a law that allows a very small (imo) number of schools to trigger a statewide ban in public schools: https://abcnews.go.com/US/utah-bans-13-books-public-schools-statewide-including/story?id=112680897

I'm not a parent, so maybe that changes one's perspective, but when I see these sorts of objections to literary material, I have to wonder if parents have any idea what their teenagers are talking and thinking about (and looking up online) when the parents are not around.

If schools are able to quietly (or not so quietly) unilaterally ban books like "Huckleberry Finn", then it's not too surprising that parents feel they should be able to get books banned. At least if the parents' actions require some greater public debate, then that's an improvement over schools' under-the-radar actions.

Perhaps the way to ratchet this down a notch is to establish a clear, democratic, open process for getting books added or banned. Getting the loudest ideologues from both ends of the political spectrum reined in would be better for all, especially the students.

Utah HAS a clear process- just a bad one. If I read it right either two districts or five charter schools banning triggers a statewide ban. That seems crazy to me.

[Wahoo Redux]

It has nothing to do with the process.

It has everything to do with people being reasonable and not trying to control things they personally object to.

[nebo113]

https://www.fox13news.com/news/hundreds-books-from-new-college-dumped-while-students-work-save-what-can-i-was-shock