[CASL-L] parent

[Fitzgerald, Joy]

I agree the best first response is to listen to the parent.  State you respect their right to know and approve of their own child/student/daughter's reading materials.   Sometimes suggesting they read a book along with their student works to allow the parent to discuss it if they have both read it in it's entirety.

Then, the situation depends on many things, including whether or not the parent is willing to listen to us or accept the school's policy.

No one has mentioned having a procedure to handle a challenge: a "Materials Selection Policy" with a "Request for Reconsideration Form" or a "Materials Arbitration Committee" of An Administrator, one or Two Teachers, a Coordinator, the Librarian and a Parent and a Student who could review any such requests.   These things are a good foundation and way to prevent a censor from decimating your collection without recourse.

If a parent objects to a book, which has occured over my teaching career at every level and every school I have been a Librarian at over 30+ years, then they should understand both the Library School Bill of Rights and the Students Right to Read.   Then they should understand that they have the right to limit only what their own child reads.  They do have a right, as a concerned parent, to fill out a form and go through a formal "Reconsideration of Materials" process.   Then the committee will usually verify the appropriateness of the books being in the Library.

In three different states, I have had an elementary principal in two different schools, a middle school principal in one school and two high school principals in different schools either remove materials without going through procedures or try to respond to a parent or try to pre-censor by requesting a book and telling the staff it was not appropriate.   Then some have or were prompted by a parent complaint.  One principal even asked me in a high school library if any of the books in the School Library had ever been censored, anywhere, and could he have a list.  Another said he didn't want our girls reading things like this.  And one principal said he wouldn't have Goosebumps in his school.   (Other Books have included "How to eat Fried Worms"," Heart of a Chief" by Bruchac, "Headman" by Kin Platt,  Sandra Scoppetone's romances, "Flowers in the Attic", "The Boy Book" and a few others by E. Lockhart as well as a health encyclopedia.)  Only a couple ever resulted in a form being filled out and a policy and committee decision, which always has backed up the Library, as the book, being age and audience appropriate, should remain on the shelves and the the parent told while we respect your rights to approve what their child reads, the school has deemed the book appropriate for the school library population.

     You know your school and your population.  And if you are new, it doesn't hurt to consult with other teachers before responding or moving forward.

      Hang in there and remember you are representing and defending all your schools' students' right to read, not just one student.  And again, only their parent has the right to limit their own child's reading.

        Joy Fitzgerald, Rockville High School Library


________________________________
From: CASL-L [casl-l-bounces at mylist.net] on behalf of Vaghini, T [vaghinit at stafford.k12.ct.us]
Sent: Thursday, May 14, 2015 1:11 PM
To: KRISTINE P. EMOND
Cc: CASL-l at mylist.net
Subject: Re: [CASL-L] parent

I'm my experience, this is how I handle it.

1. Listen carefully to their concerns.
2. Thank the parent for taking an interest in their child s education (in my experience this disarms/de-escalates the situation)
3. Respond with the reasonable advice you have received from your colleges. These books are age appropriate and it's the right of the students in the school to have access to that content. The parent should have the discussion with their child regarding reading expectations and family values moving forward.
4. Hold your ground and remember the students are counting on you.

My 3 cents. : ) Good luck.

Mr. V

Thomas Vaghini

Library Media Specialist
Stafford High School
145 Orcuttville Road
Stafford Springs, CT 06076
860.684.4233 x3032

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"[People] occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened."   - - Winston Churchill - -

On Thu, May 14, 2015 at 9:26 AM, KRISTINE P. EMOND <emond.kp at easthartford.org<mailto:emond.kp at easthartford.org>> wrote:

Hi everyone,



Seeking advice.  This morning a parent of a one of my frequent library users/big reader's dad apparently brought into the main office all the books his daughter has taken out here and says he no longer wants her reading these books.  Two were Gayle Foreman's and two were Elizabeth Scott's YA romance.  In my eyes, these are your typical teen romance/love stories and fairly tame reading considering what's out there.  The secretary field his argument and request and told him to reach out to his daughter's assistant principal.  I would like to get my feet on the ground with this because I am not interested in policing my 1800 students' book choices and I'm not setting a precedent.  Thanks!!







Kristine Emond
Library/Media Specialist
East Hartford High School
East Hartford, CT 06118
860-622-5258
emond.kp at easthartford.org<mailto:emond.kp at easthartford.org>

"You can be too rich and too thin, but you can never be too well read or too curious about the world." - Tim Gunn

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