Children's Book Removed from Shelves
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The Race Walker
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Joined: 04 May 2005
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 Posted: 05/15/05 - 13:10 Post subject:
| rtpd113 wrote: |
my point Amy was that if it is a "kids book" and they are consistent with topics they deem appropriate to move to a different section more appropriate then so what.
I have no problem with the book being in the library. I feel that the library made the right decision. It recieves tax payer money, they are not banning the book, they are making an administrative decision. I would have more problem if they moved the book out completely. |
Come on, this is the Christian south we're talking about here. They'd ban that book if they could, but since they can't they're just going to go to the most legal lengths possible to make sure no kids get at that book. If they actually banned it then real attention would be brought to the matter, and no one wants that.
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camelia bedelia
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Posted: 05/15/05 - 13:39 Post subject:
| runaroundsue wrote: |
Yeah, I really think your whole life would have changed if you saw this book at 5......not. 8 or 9.....hmmmmm |
Maybe his life wouldn't have been different if he had read the book at 5, but I bet it would be if we lived in a society that was tolerant and open minded enough to let kids read the book at age 5.
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runaroundsue
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Posted: 05/15/05 - 17:08 Post subject:
| camelia bedelia wrote: |
Maybe his life wouldn't have been different if he had read the book at 5, but I bet it would be if we lived in a society that was tolerant and open minded enough to let kids read the book at age 5. |
maybe, maybe not. You right now are saying that society "isn't" tolerable, yet gays that were leading double lives have come out, haven't they? Maybe you are not being tolerant of the intolerant, by insisting that the book exist at child accessible reach when it isn't acceptable to some parents.
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camelia bedelia
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Posted: 05/15/05 - 18:46 Post subject:
| runaroundsue wrote: |
maybe, maybe not. You right now are saying that society "isn't" tolerable, yet gays that were leading double lives have come out, haven't they? Maybe you are not being tolerant of the intolerant, by insisting that the book exist at child accessible reach when it isn't acceptable to some parents. |
If the book was about an inter-racial couple wanting to be together, and those opposed to such things (and they are out there; a lot of 'em) didn't feel it was acceptable for the children, would I be "intolerant of the intolerant" to keep the book in the children's section?
And society may have come a ways in the past few years in accepting all kinds of couples, but I bet keltic could speak to how far we have to go.
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Noley
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Posted: 05/15/05 - 18:53 Post subject:
This is where I'll step in and say that this is where we as parents have to make that choice for our children when they are 5 years old. It's something that we should moderate and do, so we let them get exposed to the things we want them to be at certain ages.
I personally don't have a problem with what my children would read in a children's section of a library. I'd be right there to see what they're picking up and put things back on the shelf if I didn't want them reading something.
RAS...I see your point in wanting to protect your children whenever possible and to have the choice to expose your son/s to things as you see needed. That's reasonable. If that book were on the shelf in your library, I do believe you'd see what they are pulling off to view.
I see CamBed's view as well. Why is it that we have to protect these things from children when it's something that's out there in life right now. Perhaps there are children of homosexual surroundings who need to validate the lives they are living are ok or children with homosexual feelings that they feel early on are not terrible feelings to have??? It's a terrible thing to feel like you're the only one..."the only one". I know I experienced this as a young child who had parents who divorced. Back in the 70's this was not the norm and I definitely stood out to my peers who did not have divorced parents. I would have loved to have had books out there to get absorbed in; to perhaps find a character of whom I could relate. It's a lonely world out there.
I see both your points as being valid. Try to respectfully disagree.
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gretriever
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Posted: 05/15/05 - 19:28 Post subject:
Nicely put, Noles. Especially the first two paragraphs, and the last sentence.
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camelia bedelia
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Posted: 05/15/05 - 19:56 Post subject:
| nolefan85 wrote: | Perhaps there are children of homosexual surroundings who need to validate the lives they are living are ok or children with homosexual feelings that they feel early on are not terrible feelings to have??? It's a terrible thing to feel like you're the only one..."the only one".
I see both your points as being valid. Try to respectfully disagree. |
Exactly. Putting the book on the top shelf sends out the message "your life is so weird and so awful and so shameful and so taboo, we can't pretend it is a part of childrens' lives".
I've never insisted that book be on the children's shelf - I canu understand than many communities are not ready for that. I do think that is too bad.
And I think we are being respectful, aren't we??
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robp
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Posted: 05/16/05 - 12:08 Post subject:
| camelia bedelia wrote: |
Exactly. Putting the book on the top shelf sends out the message "your life is so weird and so awful and so shameful and so taboo, we can't pretend it is a part of childrens' lives".
I've never insisted that book be on the children's shelf - I canu understand than many communities are not ready for that. I do think that is too bad.
And I think we are being respectful, aren't we?? |
I believe it sends out the message that mom and/or dad will decide if you get to read this book because you are a freakin' 5 yr old and not ready to make this decision on your own.
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runaroundsue
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Posted: 05/16/05 - 12:26 Post subject:
| robp wrote: |
I believe it sends out the message that mom and/or dad will decide if you get to read this book because you are a freakin' 5 yr old and not ready to make this decision on your own. |
Exactly. I get books regarding my son's situation off top shelves, it's about comprehension, for me, anyway.
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shelee
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Posted: 06/04/05 - 09:23 Post subject:
| Library Chick wrote: | | Moving a book into the parent's section doesn't necessarily mean it's moved out of the children's section. In our library the Parent's collection is in the same room as the children's picture books. They are cataloged in the Parent's Collection, and anyone looking for that book could find it there, including children. |
Ditto for my library. I must say that it gets very tiresome for librarians to have to point out First Amendment rights, collection development policies, and library's mission statements to legislatures who should know better... Part of collection development is addressing the needs of the community, and gay people are part of most communities...many of them have children... There's nothing indecent/pornographic about the book.
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