Students upset at proposed book ban

Cabot writes “The Toronto Star reports that a 9-year-old student and others are upset that school board officials have decided that Three Wishes, a non-fiction book on Middle East troubles is unfit for reading by youngsters.”

March 6, 2006 by Blake Uncategorized 6

GregS* says:

March 6, 2006 at 7:54 am

honestly
Does anyone really care what a 9 year old thinks?

Reply
Anonymous Patron says:

March 6, 2006 at 11:23 pm

Re:honestly
I’m sure the 9 year old does. If it were my 9 year old, I would care what he/she thinks.

The first step in learning to think for yourself as an adult is being encouraged to think and have an opinion as a child. And for the parent to provide feedback and guidance so that those opinons are well thought out and the child, as an adult, will go on to be an intelligent member of society.

Don’t think, just do what I tell you to do. Sound familiar to anyone?

Reply
Mal Y Clypse says:

March 7, 2006 at 12:32 am

I Swear
Why can’t she just read Clifford like the other kids.

Reply
Fang-Face says:

March 7, 2006 at 9:09 am

Re:honestly

Does anyone really care what a 9 year old thinks?

Only those of us who respect the dignity and intelligence of human beings, and recognize that children are human first; and that because they are human they are free persons.

Reply
Anonymous Patron says:

March 9, 2006 at 8:53 am

Re:honestly
You care what a 9 year old thinks because the 9 year old is the child of a rate payer whose rates pay your salary as a librarian.

You care what a 9 year old thinks because the 9 year old is the child of a voter whose vote will decide whether or not the library bond issue/rate increase passes (and thereby keep you employed/provide the raise you think you so richly deserve.)

You care about what a 9 year old thinks because the 9 year old is a future ratepayer whose rates will be paying your salary and/or retirement in the future; and is a future voter, etc.

More importantly, you care what a 9 year old thinks because the 9 year old is a user who is equally deserving of your respect, care and attention as much as your adult patrons. Indeed, if the 9 year old is smart and sophisticated enough to ask these kinds of questions and understand these kind of issues, he or she deserves far, far more from you as a professional librarian and educator because he or she may be a future colleague, or a future scholar.

You don’t foster adult library lovers by treating young library users with contempt and disrespect.

Reply
Eli says:

March 10, 2006 at 3:36 am

Three Wishes
I read a review of this book which advised that an adult read along with the child. There are statements by Palestinian children that glorify homicide bombers. It can’t be both ways if it is a book made for children that needs adult commentary, then it is not a children’s book. The situation in the Middle East is mixed up enough why make young children a part of the confusion.

Reply