BJ
Hampton writes \”History can be dangerous. A
student who checked out a book on the Confederacy
(with a Confederate flag on the cover) for a school
assignment was kicked unconscious by some
students calling him \”racist\”. (Story) While this happened in a school
hallway rather than the library, we shouldn\’t assume
that the library is a sanctuary. It seem that the
administration of this school failed in its essential duty
to provide a safe and secure learning facility, including
promoting tolerance.
Those who debated with me previously about the
desirability of making *all* information available to *all*
patrons in a library might question the consistency of
my philosophy:
Do I think the student had a \”right\”
to access to this \”inflammatory\” material?\”
More…
BJ
Hampton writes \”History can be dangerous. A
student who checked out a book on the Confederacy
(with a Confederate flag on the cover) for a school
assignment was kicked unconscious by some
students calling him \”racist\”. (Story) While this happened in a school
hallway rather than the library, we shouldn\’t assume
that the library is a sanctuary. It seem that the
administration of this school failed in its essential duty
to provide a safe and secure learning facility, including
promoting tolerance.
Those who debated with me previously about the
desirability of making *all* information available to *all*
patrons in a library might question the consistency of
my philosophy:
Do I think the student had a \”right\”
to access to this \”inflammatory\” material?\”
More…
\”The first question is, rather, does the library have the
obligation to provide the material. As I see it, the
application of selection criteria (as well as other
\”access\” policies) which support the mission of the
library is part of the professional responsibilities of a
librarian. I don\’t know anything about this particular
book to either advocate or oppose its inclusion in a
school library. I presume that it was a standard history
text. Obviously, the serious assault inflicted on this
student shouldn\’t be excused whatever the content of
the book.
Nonetheless, the \”anything goes\” philosophy would
seem to apply the pejorative label \”censorship\” if the
school librarian excluded texts or internet sites which
advocate race-based assaults, advocate racial or
religious hatred, or teach revisionist history of the great
evils that have been launched by bigots. Children are
naive and often uncritical consumers of information.
Educators (including librarians) have the responsibility
to teach these students how to evaluate information
and to steer them clear of the shoals of misinformation,
especially during their youth. \”
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