Using the most conservative estimates of the percent of people in the U. S. population who consider themselves homosexual or bisexual, based on data collected by the U. S. Center for Disease Control , at least 6% of men and an equal percent of women between 15 and 44 fit this description. Another, approximately 4% said they considered themselves “something else” or did not answer the question. The fact is that approximately 6-10% of young people in middle school and high school may be gay. While in many schools today there are gay-straight alliances, and while many more young people are accepting of their gay peers than in the past, harassment is still a common experience for many gay students. One of the concerns expressed in several entries on this blog was that of “promoting homosexuality.” While given the findings of researchers for the past 30 years that one’s sexual orientation is not a chosen life-style but rather an orientation one is born with, thus suggesting that students would not choose to become gay based on anything they might read, the reluctance to include gay themed books in school libraries continues. The question is, are there reasons to include literature that either focuses on or includes gay characters and who else, besides gay young people, might benefit from such literature?
The article “Out and Ignored: Why are So Many School Libraries Reluctant to Embrace Gay Teens?” in the January 2006 issue of School Library Journal by Debra Lau Whelan might suggest some reasons. There are others the author does not discuss but that could also be important. One problem, however, might be simply finding quality materials. To that end, I am including a link to the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Round Table of the American Library Association, which includes bibliographies for young adults and for children: .
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Of course there are reasons to include literature that includes gay characters. Like it or not, gay people are part of our society, so they should be represented in our collections. The cultural war has already been lost. For example, Ellen DeGeneres,"Brokeback Mountain", the Bravo network, and shows like Will & Grace have made being gay okay for lots of people, who didn't think that way before. Just the fact that there is so much out there on the market that can be included in our collections, on all age levels, should inform us that there is an audience that is interested. Obviously, literature that includes gay characters or deals with homosexuality or bisexuality would make people who are homosexual and bisexual have a since of inclusion, which is always a good thing. It would also serve as a reinforcement to those who are less than open to such a life style. If the literature is available to them, it might enlighten those same people on the subject and make them more tolerant. It's a safe way to let people look into the lives of gay people, and see they are normal people, without actually having to get to know one. That's a sad thing to say, but hey, anything that brings more tolerance and acceptance is good in my book. After all, women and African-Americans had no rights are were viewed as nothing more than property, not so very long ago, so I'm confident that this too shall pass in a relatively short time. I still can't believe that people actually think being homosexual is something you choose to do. I know I didn't choose to be straight, I just am.
ReplyDeleteYes, there is definitely a place for well written homosexual literature on our library shelves. Several points from the article and from Bobbie's comments were right in line with my own thoughts on the subject. GLBT patrons can identify with characters in these books and it helps knowing there are others out there that are like them. Good literature with a homosexual theme can help others learn tolerance and different views of living. Students are going to find information to read, whether it be on the internet, magazines, etc. Wouldn't we rather offer them a safe haven (our school library) and put a good book in their hands?
ReplyDeleteIn all honesty, I was very bothered by the number of my peers who talked about not wanting to choose books that endorse a homosexual lifestyle. I would be willing to bet that there are children in each of our schools who are from families with two moms or two dads. I would imagine that just about every school has children who either already have embraced their own homosexuality or who will. Like Dr. Repman suggests, people do not choose to be homeosexual anymore than they choose their own gender. To do anything less than embrace this and celebrate it is sad to me. Many of you wouldn't think of taking books out of your libraries that celebrate your patriotism....you didn't choose to be Americans. I think it is similar with regard to books that address homosexuality. Too many people are in denial about the issues are students are dealing with and to continue to censor books on this issue is unbelievable. And yes, all people could benefit from this literature. People who do not accept this as a lifestyle could see that real people live this way and need to be respected and included and people who are homosexuals need to see their lifestyle and valued and respected.
ReplyDeleteThere is a place in all media centers for books on all orientations. To exclude any type of family, whether it consist of 2 dads, 2 moms, mom and dad, or single parent is indeed a violation of IF rights. Children who are members of same sex parents or who are same-sex oriented should have access to (and be represented in) valid and factual information available their libraries. The information they need should be provided in a safe MC setting...so that they don't end up, like the person in our article this week, riding the bus to the public library for the information that should have been provided at school! Students who are straight could benefit from these books as well by gaining an insight to a different lifestyle and maybe, just maybe, they could learn tolerance! I do understand the issues in including these types of books, especially in a small town USA Media Centers, but really...don't we owe it to our students to provide the best information available without passing judgement on personal choices in any area, not just sexual orientation? This is not your Grandma' library...The times, they are a changin' and we must be willing to move forward gracefully and thoughfully...including everyone, excluding none.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the article, I realize how life must be for anyone who is different when he is a teenager-not just homosexuals; it can be your size, skin color, personality, etc. We need to ensure that tolerance is a policy that is addressed and modeled by our actions, thoughts, book adoptions, etc. It is sad that 82% of homosexual 13-20 year olds are verbally harassed for being different than others. We need to teach kids that it's not our place to be judges and prosecutors. As I tell my students and my own children, diversity is wonderful. Wouldn't life be boring if we were all the same? Books, as mentioned before, can and are therapeutic. To further what Kellie said, shouldn't we as media specialists want what is best for our audience (our students)? On the other hand, as with any book purchase, reviews and researching the book before purchasing may eliminate a great deal of the controversy that might arise. A thorough selection policy which includes steps for a challenged book would also eliminate some controversy as well.
ReplyDeleteI can certainly understand the reason why some media specialists do not include gay themed books in their libraries. My main reason for this understanding is that those of us raised as Christians are taught that the Bible condemns homosexuality. I am not a Bible scholar but I do know that God wants us to love thy neighbor just as He loves us. Therefore, it is not our place to judge those who are different from us. Like a few of you have already mentioned, people of all orientations make up our society. We are doing more harm than good to deny our students the right to read about these differences from our own beliefs. After all, don’t we all love reading about something or someone we can relate too? I think all students benefit from reading about other types of families whether it is two dads or two moms. I don’t think in any way would a straight student change their orientation just by reading a book that has gay characters; just as a gay student wouldn’t change their orientation by reading books with heterosexual characters. The harassment of ANY human being is unacceptable in my opinion. Although books may help to teach tolerance, I think parents and other adults have the greatest impact on a student’s ability to show tolerance to those different from themselves. Unfortunately, there are a lot of adults who are not tolerant and therefore model intolerance to their children.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that having books on a certain topic in a media center PROMOTES that topic or sensationalizes it in any way. Aren;t books meant to inform, educate, instruct. We speak so often of how much we can learn form a story/book, how books share experiences with us, how books carry us away into other places that I think it's important that books that have characters that display controversial traits/issues BE in the media center.
ReplyDeleteWhile an author may have the intention of creating a story around an issue, I think that it's important to have the ability to read and learn about the subject. You may not agree with it, but often a book will show that your misconceptions are off.
The "banned book" that I read, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, contains a character that is homosexual. I didn;t pick up on it right away, until I had to read a passage repeatedly to understand that the character was describing his relationship with an unlikely companion. Of ocurse I think that this book is more aimed at high school students, but I know that every character would identify with one or more charcters in the book.
For a student who is struggling with homosexuality - feeling different, feeling out of place, feeling odd, I think that books with characters who are homsexual or books that even provide information of GLBT issues would provide a way for that student to get information that they need, open up a way of communication, or allow them to realize that he/she is not "abnormal."
At the elementary level I also think that books that shows different family make-ups are improtant as well. The county I live in does have other family memebers, other than mom and dad take care of the kids.
oh it's me -- Jennifer Prall-Barfield (softballrr13@yahoo.com)
ReplyDeleteI do know that there have been many scientific findings that homosexuality is genetic rather than chosen; however, there have been as many scientific findings that state homosexuality is not genetic but the result of environmental influence. There is a time and place to debate which is correct and I don’t believe this is the place. Whether homosexuality is genetic or chosen, the fact is there are people who are homosexual. Even in our rural setting, we have students that are very open about their homosexuality. With this in mind, I do believe that we must provide resources to which these students can relate. Media specialists are supposed to stand strong for intellectual freedom; therefore, eliminating access to gay-themed books should not happen in any media center. All students, no matter their sexual preference, are entitled to an equal education. If I believe a media center program is important to provide this education, I must make my media center a welcoming place for all students. If my media center is biased in any way, I risk running off students that may not have any other safe place to access resources necessary to succeed in their education or finding information in areas of personal interest. This knowledge makes the subject of whether a book has a gay theme much less important than whether I am meeting the needs of my patrons.
ReplyDeleteAs for others that might benefit from literature with a gay theme, I think everyone can. Especially if the literature shows healthy relationships between people that are homosexual and people that are heterosexual. If our media center collection helps students treat each other with respect, no matter their differences, we become a part of preventing harassment that could result in lower academic achievement. I believe like Liz Futch; we are to love our neighbor just as God loves us. There are no conditions on this command. It doesn’t say to just love heterosexual people. If a book can help someone learn to love and accept a homosexual person just as they would a heterosexual person, just because they are a human being, that book is a great asset. After all, we shouldn’t love and care about people because of their sexuality, we should because of their worth and in my opinion every human being is worthy of being loved and cared for. In other words, there are not two people alive who agree on every single subject; however, they can still get along. Basically, you can agree to disagree and move on. We should never condemn people for their beliefs. That’s what we need to teach and portray for our students.
Lastly, I like the comment Arla Jones provides in this week’s article, “Don’t make a big deal out of building a gay collection – just make sure books are well catalogued so kids can easily find them.” Great advice! This will benefit all patrons, those that are looking for gay-themed books and those that prefer different books. Plus the thought of denying information a student is seeking could lead one of my students to ending “up in high-risk situations involving online predators or turn to drugs to help them cope” makes me shudder.
Gay themed literature should absolutely be included in a school library media center. The quote from Michael Glatze in the Whelan article explains why it is important for gay students: "Confidence comes from information and knowing you're not alone." I believe that one of the most important roles of literature is to help us connect with humanity and understand ourselves better. This leads to why gay themed literature is also important for heterosexual students to access. Heterosexual students should be able to understand and connect with their homosexual peers on a human level that will help them overcome their biases. Furthermore, reading gay-themed literature may reduce instances of harassment and assault of gay students. Part of our job as educators, is to protect our students and we can do that by ensuring that all students are well-informed. If students cannot find information on homosexuality in their school library, they may turn to the internet and who knows what kind of ridiculous, false information they may find! School libraries must provide access to all information that affects our students' lives and this topic certainly does, or will at some point.
ReplyDeleteIt's really a shame that we have to consider these books any differently than we would any others. Of course literature that either focuses on or includes gay characters should be included in our collections. I think to exclude good literature only for this reason is nothing more than censorship. Our collection needs to be diverse, just as our populations are. As it has already been noted, our students are dealing with these issues and need to be able to relate to the books they read. They need to see families like theirs and kids who feel the same way they do. All students can benefit from a diverse collection as it helps them to understand other people. And young people who are searching or questioning their own identities may find great comfort in literature. I have watched several young people struggle with this over the past 15 years or so and seen some of them rejected by their own families. I was always glad that my family readily accepted these kids and loved them and made them feel welcomed. And that's what we need to do for all of our library patrons - they should feel welcome and comfortable - not different or like an outsider. Having books that include everyone is a good way to start.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the gay community should be represented in the mc, along with other minorities. The Whelan article suggested that 6-10% of the student population is GLBT. I think it may be even higher because I can imagine that some students answered incorrectly on the survey. I do think that the gay collection should be easily accessible, and I also think it is important to protect the confidentiality of library records. This is especially important for the GLBT community. They should be comfortable walking into the library and locating these resources. I wonder how many media specialist and teachers actually tell students that these are available or if they mostly keep it hush-hush. I work at an elementary school and the topic has never been brought up, so I don't know what it's like in middle and high schools. I do think that everyone can benefit from GLBT materials. I would even like to read them myself to get a better understanding of how a gay person feels in our society. I think teaching tolerance and diversity is crucial and I am hopeful that this will only improve within our schools.
ReplyDeleteAs the author of this week's article mentioned, GLBT are often the ones who use our media centers as a safe haven from ridicule. Because these teens don't see peers like themselves walking in the hallways of their school, they seek to find them in the pages of gay/lesbian literature. Our job and our duty is to provide these students with quality, and let me stress the word quality, literature with which they can identify. Just this past week, one of my 9th grade students confessed his homosexuality to his classmates. I was impressed with the reactions of my students. As the article stated, today's student is ahead of the game in terms of living with this issue. I think this is because tolerance and diversity are entrenched in today's pop culture. These same ideals should be evident within the shelves of our media centers.
ReplyDeleteThere are reasons to include literature that either focuses on or includes gay characters. If 6% to 10% of our national population is GLBT then in all probability the same percent of our schools are as well. It is our job to make sure that the needs of all of our students are met. We would buy books with African American characters and themes, books with females as main characters, books on different religions, so having books that deal with homosexuality is no different. They meet the needs of the student population, and that is what we are suppossed to be doing.
ReplyDeleteBesides gay young people, many others might benefit from such literature. We want to teach students to be tolerant of others who are different from them, and one of the least threatening ways to do that is through a book. Students who are not GLBT could gain a deeper understanding of what othes go through who have different life experiences than they do. Students of all ages need to learn to be tolerant of others who are different from them whether that difference is due to religion, race, culture, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. By having books on all topics in our schools, we are helping students see that we are more alike than unalike (as Maya Angelou would say). Every student wants to have a caring teacher, make friends, and do well. By reading well written literature about people who are different, students will learn to be more tolerant of others. Hopefully they will learn that lesson in school and grow up to be tolerant, open minded adults which in my book, is one of the goal's everyone working in school's should have.
When reading the posts about including gay literature in the library, I thought why not? We include every other type or genre of literature. While overcoming our biases as mentioned in other posts may be difficult at times, we need to remind ourselves that we are not to judge or impose our views on anyone in any way. I really like C Wagner's comment in regards to being accepting and welcoming of others "we need to do this for all of our library patrons - they should feel welcome and comfortable - not different or like an outsider. Having books that include everyone is a good way to start." We (ms')have a duty to provide Intellectual Freedom for all who enter our doors not certain races, genders, etc. None of us live in the world alone. We work, play, and interact with people everyday. Our world is so diverse now as well as our patrons. I think that gay literature (quality literature of course) would benefit both sides. Being able to see into the gay community would allow more insight so that all can make informed decisions rather than rely on stereotypes that surrounds them.
ReplyDeleteBeing an elementary school ms, this is a very touchy subject, especially when your school is located in the southeastern part of the US. Religion is strong in this part of the country and probably one of the most outspoken areas on the subject of homosexuality. What is difficult for me is, I grew up in Key West, FL. I was surrounded by the concept of homosexuality. Tolerance does need to be addressed and children are exposed to it more than we think. I am just not sure what types of literature needs to be added to the collection at this age level. I must say we do have "And Tango Makes Three" in our collection.
ReplyDeleteThere are many reasons why gay and lesbian characters should be included in many different types of literature. Students who may be gay need to be able to relate to someone who is just like them and realize they are not alone. It can also help to make our society less exclusive and more inclusive of all types of people and therefore, eliminate many types of prejudices that exist about a particular group of people. Also, I think it is important to have a fair representation of the many types of people that are a part of our world - the movie industry is slowly moving in that direction. If the media can show portrayals of gay/lesbian characters in films, then why can't books portray those same characters as well?
ReplyDeleteWith that said, I believe that with the inclusion of gay/lesbian characters in the books we read, both children and adults of all races, nationalities, and genders can reap the rewards. They can receive exposure to diffent types of people and learn the importance of not judging someone based on his or her sexual orientation.
I must say that after reading the required article for this topic, I am in agreement with Pauline LaBarge's post about the negative consequences of denying students access to information - they could end up in "high-risk situations." In essence, I do not want to feel the way Ann Symons did in this week's article when she realized that she had failed to offer books with gay and lesbian characters to her patrons. One of her patrons, years later, admitted that he felt that he had no one to whom he could relate as a student who was gay. In her words, I want to take a "proactive stance" and "build the collection [I] feel [I] need, and deal with the controversy later."
Gay people exist in our society and gay people just don't grow on tree's. At some point these adults were children and teens dealing with very strong emotions. Many of them say that they have always felt different. We must address this issue. The US was suppose to be founded on Godly princples. We place in God we trsut on our money, but in no religion that I'm aware of is being gay embraced. We are told that this is wrong. This make those who are gay keep it the closet. As a civilized society we must find a way to address this issue.
ReplyDeleteStudents like to read materials that they can relate to. It keeps them engaged and interested in reading. For this reason, there need to be books that address all aspects of life and and all kinds of people. Students deserve to have materials that are a reflection of who they are so they can have the choice of reading these materials.
ReplyDeleteLiterature on homosexuality is not exempt from this. I think by providing these materials we will better equip students to be enlightened. Books with homosexual characters will help them see that their peers who are homosexual have the same thoughts and feelings and worries as any other teenager. I think that including diverse literature will help students to be more aware. Then, in turn, they will be more tolerant of the differences of others as they gain perspective about the world that exists around them.
I know several of these points have already been mentioned, but I truly agree with the similar trains of thoughts that have been mentioned.
I would have a difficult time giving elementary-age students access to any type of sexually-themed literature. They grow up too fast as it is these days. But when is it appropriate for them to read this type of material? I think that by middle school students should be mature enough to have access to some of this content. Unfortunately, I can understand how easy it would be to practice censorship on this topic. One would definitely need to keep in mind that it is better to be well-informed rather than ignorant about such a sensitive subject.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it is a media specialist’s responsibility to provide information so that our students aren’t forced to go elsewhere that may not be safe; and we are to do so without passing judgment. Any other way could result in all kinds of problems, such as the dreaded “getting our school district’s name in the newspaper” or a lawsuit. Thankfully, we have the freedom to build our media center’s collection. I visited a media center just last week in which they have no control over selection. Every media center in their school district receives their resources from a central processing center already processed. I was surprised because even in our school district, patrons’ needs vary from school to school so how does a school district as large as the one I visited ensure they are meeting patron needs at every school in their district?
ReplyDeleteThis is in response to Candice and deciding when it is appropriate for children to read this type of literature.
ReplyDeleteI think that many elementary children are already seeing these issues in their families and of course, on tv. Many people think these things "go over" the heads of young children - but this is not always the case. In less than a months time, I have enrolled two new children in my school who each have two mommies. One of the children - a 2nd grade boy - has been telling the other students in the room that his mom is going to marry a woman and he is really struggling with this. Seeing a book with a family that looks like his in a book could be really good for him right now and good for the rest of the kids in his class, too.
I work at the elementary level and I think that to some extent there should be literature in our collection that deals with homosexuality. I also think that it should be age appropriate. I think the hardest thing is that in some areas parents still think that it is inappropriate.
ReplyDeleteJust like any other subject, there is a place for literature on homosexuality. To me banning any material that even hints at the topic of being gay is like banning a book such as Harry Potter....does everyone agree with either topic area? Absolutely not, but it deserves a place among the shelves just as much as anything else. I am a Christian, and don't agree with homosexuality, but it is not my place to judge anyone who is nor to keep those materials banned. Students who realize that they are gay are many times alone and have no one to talk to about what they are going through. But as a media specialist, we can help by having these books that are written about fictional teenagers going through the same thing. It can help a child come to grips with their feelings when it is not thought of very highly with other students in the school.
ReplyDeleteAs media specialists and educators we cannot allow ourselves to become self-appointed censors. We cannot withhold any kind of knowledge from our students and breed ignorance. We must understand that our students can learn a great deal from being exposed to difficult or controversial subjects. They can develop an appreciation of different viewpoints and learn tolerance of other students who are affected by altered lifestyles. Allowing our students to have access to these materials that we fear the parents in our neighborhoods will find objectionable will not harm them. On the contrary, these students will eventually be subjected to many things in later in life, as they become adult citizens in a very diverse society. If they are well equipped with knowledge and tolerance, they will become more competent in functioning as well-rounded members of a community who may even become our future’s public leaders.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Candice's post, I don't think we are talking about sexually themed books when we are talking about having a book about a child with two moms or two dads. I think it is just as important at the elementary level as it is at any other level for students to feel accepted even if their situation is different than their classmates' situation.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that there is a time and a place for everything and that this is not the place for discussing the biblical acceptance of homeosexuality but if you're curious and since many of you mentiopned religion in your post, you might check out this link: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_year_did_the_word_homosexual_first_appear_in_the_Bible
I appreciate being able to have a place where we can have what potentially could be a difficult conversation because of the nature of the topic.
In response to adgsu-
ReplyDeletesome parents NO MATTER the age of the child would believe that literature with homosexuality in it is innappropriate. These are the parents that believe that a child can be swayed towards homosexuality and not oriented at birth. Placing this type of literature in the Media Center will teach students to become more tolerant of different groups of people, that while they may not encounter or KNOW they encounter at school, they will in life outside of the school building.
Including literature that focuses on or includes gay/lesbian characters in the media center is a fact of life in society today. My child, now age 23 met a friend in preschool that she loved dearly. Recently at an engagement party the friends older sister reminded me of a comment made at the dinner table one night when the sister was in grammar school, which is a perfect example of how curiousity begins at a very young age. The friend asked, "Daddy what is a lesbian?" His response was, "when girls like each other." "Well I must be a lesbian then becasue I love Heather." This can also come up in school with multiple meaning words, a teachable moment in class with vocabulary words,gay. We have to be mature adults and explain questions as we guide the students we teach. What better way to expose students to real life situations than reading. Like the article with the student that suffered and injured herself as she "came out", I have witnessed students in my community go through the same situation because of fearing what others think about them. I believe resources should be available for students that want them on this topic, even if one might encounter it by accident.
ReplyDeleteSome of us did toil over this one a little when we spoke about our own personal values and beliefs and self-censorship posts. I believe tt's difficult NOT to self-censor sensitive issues that arise. I have to smile by the way these 3 postings have been presented to us.... First responding to our values and beliefs, then self-censorship, and now this dicey topic. I almost feel as if I have been "set up" a little. :0)
ReplyDeleteThese topics and postings have made me rethink my thoughts and ideas about self-censoring. While I would have a difficult time purchasing these type of titles, I have read the responses and now have a better insight on a need to try not to discriminate. It's not like I "hate" this group of people or anything "hateful" like that against them, it's just that I do not agree/approve of this lifstyle and like someone else said it's NOT my place to judge them. Cindy's post really hit my heart hard about the 2nd grader that was struggling with his mom marrying another woman. This made me change my point of view on this topic. I agree with her thoughts about the little boy having books available to him so that he could see other families of this nature might could help him cope with his feelings better. So I guess there is a need for this type of literature in the school MC.
Students are curious and they want to learn. Each individual has the right to know the answer to his/her questions and then adults guide when asked questions. Parents have responsibility and so do teachers. When selecting books for the media center, the curriculum, teachers, and a strong selection policies and procedures book will guide appropriate decisions. We can't forget book reviews either, which will help make good choices.
ReplyDeleteI agree with many of the above who feel the need to have a diverse collection. I have been teaching elementary school for the past 15 years and I have seen this subject grow even in the lower grades. I remember when my son was in 2nd grade and he came home asking me what the word gay meant. I assumed that other students had called him a name and he was curious as to what it meant, but I found out that a little girl in his class had stood up to introduce herself to the class and told the class her mommies were gay. I realized in that moment, I needed to be honest with him and teach him acceptance. I totally agree with the article when it says that the adults are the ones who generally make a big deal over the issues. I am sure that many of those children went home and asked the same questions that day, and I am sure there were several different answers given. Like the article says, we don't have to make a big deal about what is in the collection, but having it available when students are looking. That little girl, proudly shared who her parents were, but I am sure the following day she probably heard all different things from students. She needed to be able to read books that show that she is just like every other little boy or girl.
ReplyDeleteLikewise, I agree with the comments that students want to read books that have characters similar to themselves. We are currently in a time where there are so many "hot topics" (homosexuality, mixed marriages, mixed families from adoptions, religious differences, children who grow up in abusive homes, drug and alcohol situations... and the list goes on!). We need to make sure that we make all students feel safe in our MC.
There are a lot of controversial topics that must be addressed in the mc. Homosexuality is simply one of them, and it too, regardless of personal beliefs or values, must have a place. I totally agree with Tammie who states, "parents have responsiblity and teachers do too." The ms is not nor should we be the moral compass for students in the school.
ReplyDeleteI agree with many of the posts made. It is important to have a diverse collection of materials available to students, including books with homosexual characters. Students are able to identify with book characters and it can help them work through difficult emotions. Also, books can build tolerance. If children are exposed to issues like this at a young age in a positive nonjudgemental environment, perhaps they will grow up to be more tolerant of others who are different from them.
ReplyDeleteI like it that Pauline pointed out the passage from our reading about not making a big deal about building a collection of books with homosexual characters and themes. These materials should be available to students and their is no reason to draw attention to them. I also thought it was a very good point in the reading that when cataloging these materials, you should think of every possible tag. This is such a sensitive issue, the materials should be easy for students to find. They don't need to have to request special help or draw attention to themselves.
To be honest, I have had a difficult time trying to determine how to reply to Dr. Repman’s question. As I read through several posts of my peers, it was like I felt a fire light within me. This strong internal struggle left me without words (or with too many words to know where to begin) and I was unsure how I should respond. Although I know, as a future media specialist, I should say that I will develop my collection to include homosexuals as well as heterosexuals, I also feel compelled to stand my ground as a Christian and voice my honest opinion. Let me first say that I know the Bible says we should love one another regardless; I also know that the Bible says homosexuality is wrong. While I don’t feel that this is the time or place to enter a debate about the rights and wrongs of homosexuality, I do feel that I should provide an honest response as to how this topic will affect my media collection. In doing so, I cannot say that I will insure my collection will provide literature on gays and lesbians. While I don’t see myself as a librarian saying, “Oh, I can’t include this text because it has a gay character in it”, I also don’t see myself thinking, “Okay, I’ve got to find a book with a gay person in it so I can reach the gay students at my school.”
ReplyDeleteI do not feel that homosexuals, in any way, are less valuable in our society. They are human beings and deserve the same love and concern as everyone else. As a result, I will not deliberately exclude all books with gay characters from my library. I also agree that many people enjoy reading because they can relate to the characters in a book. Perhaps, for some students, connections can be made with gay characters and they will develop a sense of belonging.
However, I do not want to foster this lifestyle and contribute to our society believing that it is okay. By purposely seeking material with homosexuals, I would be under conviction for “going along with everyone else” and being more concerned with what’s “politically correct” rather than “Biblically correct”.
I think Brittany hits it right on the head when she says that we are not talking about sexually themed books when we are talking about having a book about a child with two moms or two dads. Books about traditional families are not about sex, why should any others immediately be linked to sex? Honestly, the TV show "Full House" had three dads!
ReplyDeleteChildren from same sex families love their parents just as much as those from traditional families. Young students may need assurance that there is no reason to question this. I was a single parent so I know first hand that it is hard for a young student when their family is not the "perfect family". It helps when there are stories that they can connect with.
And it is even more important that older students who are beginning to realize that they may be gay also realize that they are accepted for who they are. The girl from Lawrence Kansas is proof of that.
Books that have gay characters are not promoting this as a lifestyle any more than "Maniac Magee" is saying we should all take a year off school and live in the buffalo cage at the zoo. They are just pointing out to us that the world is made up of all types of people and we should accept this difference just as we do differences in race and religion.
As media specialists we may be offering some students,like the young girl from Kansas, a place where they can be assured that they are not abnormal and a place where others can become informed in order to realize taht these students have a right to be who they are without judgement.
I could not agree more with softballrr13 (Jennifer Prall-Barfield) on this topic. I too believe that books being in the LMC don’t necessarily promote that topic. We simply must provide access to books that are well written, include a variety of topics, and that can be used to inform and educate our students on an array of topics, even those we don’t necessarily understand or agree with. Isn’t that the gist Library Bill of Rights? This is truly the ‘slippery slope of self-censorship’ in action!
ReplyDeleteFrom childhood through adulthood, we all want to belong and to be understood. By providing access to materials that offer different viewpoints (gender, race, religion, etc.), we are giving students an opportunity to learn and to be given information that could help them feel more comfortable in opening the lines of communication and discovering that most students, regardless of sexual orientation, at some time or another feel awkward.
Shelly
It seems amazingly that we all agree this week that:
ReplyDeleteone all media centers should have AGE APPROPRIATE books.
two: all types of families should be represented
three: all students should feel represented in the MC collection
four: children are not going to become homosexuals if they read a book that has a character with 2 Mommys or Daddys or where the main character is gay.
five: MIddle school is an appropriate age for students to read same sex oriented books!
I really appreciate your statement, “We cannot withhold any knowledge from our students and breed ignorance.” Ignorance is what gets us in trouble! As educators, we are supposed to provide information in a non-biased manner and provide our students with the tools and opportunities they need to evaluate or analyze the information and generate new knowledge. Since we all come from different perspectives, this new knowledge may take a variety of forms. As we know, there are things we teach that don’t have a definitive right or wrong answer, they are just meant to get our students thinking and discovering how to apply what they’ve learned to their lives. Isn’t that what problem-based learning is all about?
ReplyDeleteMany years ago I chose to continue working in public schools for the very reason you mention at the end of your post, because today’s youth are tomorrow’s leaders. Since public schools educate more students than any other type of school, I wanted to be a part of helping these students become non-judgmental, introspective, caring, honest, unselfish, intelligent adults who could see through hatred and be able to think for themselves. In my opinion, these are the only type of adults that will be able to help our world heal from the many hurts it has endured, is enduring, and will endure in the future. Yes, I believe that there are many things going on that are sinful in nature; however, I also believe that we are never to hate those that sin. We are only to hate the sin. In other words, if I separate the sin from the sinner I can see the sinner for the valuable human being he/she is. It’s this belief that allows me to treat all students equally. How else could I meet their educational and informational needs?
Your example of the father stating that a lesbian is when “girls like each other” drives home the importance of being prepared to answer questions when they come up. Although the father’s answer wasn’t inaccurate, it seemed to confuse the little girl. However, I’m not sure I could have done any better. This is an example of how our students encounter situations that they are just not mature enough to understand. I believe elementary school students are not mature enough to understand any type of sexuality, yet we all know they are encountering situations way before we did when we were their age. Even in Christian music, young children are hearing words they do not understand. I remember my son listening to a Christian song when he was very young. It had the word “gay” in it, which referred to homosexuals. I think he was about five or six and he came to me and asked, “Mom, what does gay mean”? I confess that I wasn’t prepared and answered, “It means you’re happy.” However, at that time I believe that’s all he could handle. As he matured, we re-visited those types of conversations many times. So, I agree with you that we should make resources available to students on every topic. The trick is that we have to do our best to ensure that we don’t expose our students to information before they are mature enough to handle it. That’s one of my greatest struggles!
ReplyDeleteLynn, I hadn’t looked at it that way, but now that you mention it I can see your perspective. Each question did get a little more difficult for me and it caused me to dive deeper into how my beliefs affect my position as a media specialist. Like you, I don’t agree with homosexual lifestyles, but I do agree that we need to do everything we can to help children cope with whatever life throws at them. After all, every choice a parent makes definitely affects their children and children have absolutely no say in these choices. I’m not just talking about the choice of a mate, I’m talking about lots of other choices that children struggle with. How many of us have watched when a student enrolls in your school, struggles with fitting in, and when the student finally does fit in his/her parent moves them again? This is just one example that breaks my heart. No matter how hard we try, there are many students dealing with stuff we will never know about because they either can’t or don’t know how to talk about it. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to find out there was a book in the media center that helped them work through whatever was bothering them?
ReplyDeletecdyal, Wow, what an honest, heart-felt, well-stated, response. I can say that I am under the same conviction! There does seem to be so much pressure today to be “politically correct” and I am not interested in being like that at all. I refuse to hide my Christianity, but I never want it to come across in a condemning way. I don’t share about my Christian convictions unless a student specifically asks me. However, I do not want my media collection to reflect my convictions, beliefs, or needs. After all, the media collection is not for me, it is for my patrons. With this in mind, like you I don’t specifically seek out gay-themed books, but I also don’t avoid them. Many of my students know that I am a Christian, but they also know that I don’t treat the Christian students any different than I do the non-Christian students. If I did, I know I would be heavily convicted for doing so. I was a non-Christian throughout my entire public education and would have been crushed if one of my teachers treated me as less worthy because of it. In addition, this type of treatment could have prevented me from succeeding in school. The opposite is also true! If a non-Christian teacher treats Christian students differently than non-Christian students, the teacher could lose his/her opportunity to help a student succeed to his/her fullest potential. It’s a huge responsibility, but one I take very seriously.
ReplyDeleteI have thought little of this subject before reading the article. I truly believe that gay-themed books should be included in media centers. Students, children are faced with so many obstacles and challenges. Ones that are uncertain of their sexuality have more challenges than others. With the growing number of gay students rising, they need these books to help them identify with someone. Everyone could benefit from these books in the media center: students that are uncertain of their sexuality, students with a parent or family member that is gay, adults that are gay or adults that have children that are gay. I agree with Jennifer Prall that including the books does not promote or sensationalize the issue. Students need to be fully aware of what is happening in society. Kelly I agree with all the 5 points.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with the role of the Library Coordinator at Olathe High,in the article. One person should not have all the authority to reject material. Also, from the article, I agree that some MS leave out these types of books because they do not want controversy.
AS I read the posts and the article, I kept thinking about how I would respond as an MS. I agree with cdyal about not going out of my way to be politically correct, and my religious convictions might give me pause, but as most everyone has said, it is not about us, but the kids we serve, and if the need is there, then I will fill it because it is my job. I really liked Kellie's 5 points, and totally agree with her. I work in an elementary school, and also agree that there should be books at that level to help children struggling with same sex parents, as well as other issues. These posts have really made me think about how I would do things as a MS. Thanks Dr. Repman! :o)
ReplyDeleteAre there reasons to include literature that either focuses on or includes gay characters and who else, besides gay young people, might benefit from such literature?
ReplyDeleteSchool media centers should include literature that focuses on or include gay young people. Our students who are gay or knows someone who is or adults who may want more information on this issue would benefit from these books. They would benefit because it may foster more tolerance, some students can identify with the books and gain more understanding about themselves, and our right to read and learn without restriction (intellectual freedom). I do confess that it would be very hard for me to embrace this issue because of my Christian faith however, we all have right to choose our own way in life and we have a right to live without being afraid of retaliation because of our choices. Ignorance is often our worse enemy, books will open the doors to knowledge, and with this knowledge we can make informed choices. This blog has truly opened my eyes of understanding and it has helped me to not be so closed-minded.
Media specialists need to educate themselves to overcome potential forms of prejudice or discrimination. There is an expanding consciousness of “issue diversity” which encompasses all of the aspects of gender and sexuality. Another reason for an increasing demand for information on homosexuality is to fill a void which people are no longer tolerating. Gay Pride Parades are being held in hundreds of cities around the world. More and more gay community groups and gay newspapers are starting to come out of the closet and gain recognition by the “mainstream media.” People are looking for resources that have been previously kept out of their reach. Librarians have the opportunity to not only show patrons how to use appropriate sources of information, but also the opportunity to shatter myths and stereotypes which otherwise slow the transmission of information. Students are frequently prejudiced about this subject matter. We, as media specialists, need to build an understanding of the general problems we may encounter when dealing with “sensitive topics.” These could include political, religious, historical, ethical or scientific aspects of information. In order to overcome these subject specific roadblocks, we need to understand the insidious barriers which exist in all types of libraries. Students and faculty members should be aware of the “librarian’s code of ethics”, striving to provide equal services to all users, regardless of the nature of the topics being researched. Librarians must also assure their patrons of the confidentiality involved with each patron and their topics of interest.
ReplyDeleteLiterature that discusses homosexuality definitely deserves a place in each media center. This literature is just as important as literature that discusses different cultures, beliefs, etc. The thing that infuriates me the most about media specialists choosing to ignore this population is that no child is being forced to read a specific book. What is the harm in having a variety of literature available? Who am I to specifically choose what a child should read or be interested in? If a child happens to checkout a book and find the content uncomfortable, no one will prevent the return of the book – in fact, they can easily find a new one. This same concept occurs in my classroom. If a parent or student does not agree with a class novel, I will happily choose a different one for that student.
ReplyDeleteThe inclusion of literature that discusses homosexuality would benefit each person in a student body. We must start teaching students at a young age what it means to be equal. The idea of equality does not mean that you must believe what your friends or acquaintances believe – it merely means that you must respect them as a human being. If students happen upon a book that identifies a character as being homosexual, the student reader may find that they actually have something in common – such as they like the same music, or they are both artistic. They will hopefully help them to realize that sexual orientation does not define your entire being – you can still have commonalities with people of different cultures, races, sexual orientations, etc.
On a side note – the Scholastic Book Fair visited my school this week. So many of my 6th grade students – boys and girls – have enjoyed reading the Twilight Series. Many wanted to purchase it last week, but they discovered that Scholastic had decided not to sell Breaking Dawn due to “graphic content.” Many were disappointed, but they were not discouraged from placing their name on the Media Center’s waiting list. I was happy to see that they thought it was “weird” that it wasn’t for sale, but they love the series so much, and were not deterred from trying another way to obtain the final book.
I can see how this is a controversial issue because I come from a Christian background. I believe that the Bible is true in its teachings of homosexuality. However, our students do have a choice of whether or not to read the books and if they do read on that has gay characters, they have the choice of finishing it or returning it.
ReplyDeleteI like the comment SWMcWilliams stated about how librarians need to strive to provide equal services to all users and ensure confidentiality with each patron. Our children come all walks of life and are dealing with all sorts of things and maybe something they read will help them through this ordeal. A lot of our children feel threatened if they talk to an adult, so they do not talk about their problems.
ReplyDeleteI do believe, like many of you, that omitting a book from the media center just because it deals with homosexuality is censorship just as much as banning books that deal with any other controversial topics. There are students in our schools who are growing up and dealing with this issue, whether they are living with same sex parents or whether they are teens who are confused about their own sexual orientation. It helps them to know that they can choose books with characters that they can relate to. In the media center, they should have this choice just as students who don't want to read books on this topic can make the choice not to.
ReplyDeleteThis is an extremely difficult discussion this week because it creates many emotions. I had a hard time trying to decide what to say. I like Pauline, and several others am a Christian and do not approve of the gay lifestyle in saying that please know I think no less of someone because they are different from me. Jesus often times was rebuked for eating with people that were "different" and I think that we should do the same. I would never nor do I ever plan on treating anyone different because of their sexual orientation or any other difference. I have had students that were gay and I love them JUST THE SAME as those that were straight. We are called to be friends to all regardless of whether or not we agree with them or their chosen lifestyle. Now to that end - as a parent I would prefer that my child not read a book concerning a different view of sexuality without me knowing about it. Should we have books on the shelf with gay characters, etc - yes because readers need to know that they are people and they do have feelings and we should love them the same. Students need to be able to see the world through others eyes to gain empathy so that confusion will not create hostility. I think maybe a middle of the road view would be at the elementary level books containing any type of dealings with sex regardless need to be on handled a little differently. Like perhaps sending the parents a notice that their child read a book that has a gay character in it or has sexual connotations. I know you are probably thinking that goes against the readers’ privacy, but until my child is of age I don’t feel it is wrong to know things concerning her. I go back to the back at the doctor’s office with her because I want to know what is going on with her physical body and even HIPPA does not prevent me from doing so since I am her legal guardian. I see no difference in that and her mental aspect of her body. I want to know what she is reading so I can share with her our values and what the Bible says about things. As a media specialist I will be careful in my collection to obtain books with a variety of topics.
ReplyDeleteI am really having difficulty discussing this topic.Honestly, I am taking a stand for Christian values. I am not going to jump on the bandwagon and agree that it is okay to search for gay books just to complete a collection.I question the estimated percentage that 6-10% of teens may be gay. I agree with Kim Exley's comment that students have the chioce to read the book.I would like to think that if a book is recommended on Booklist, LMJ, etc. I would purchase it, even if it did have gay characters. I do not see myself scanning YgA for recommendations.As far as other others benefitting from gay literature, I do not see that potential. I see it benefitting those that are possibly questioning their sexuality.
ReplyDeleteI have been thinking a lot about this week’s topic. I have mixed emotions about how I feel. Coming from a small town I can only imagine how the kids would react to books that focus on homosexuality. I can only hear the jokes that would or could be made. It makes me wonder if the possibility of such jokes could cause more harm than good. Children that may be confused about their sexuality may feel hurt or scared to check them out in fear of being ridiculed. At the same time this could be the basis for having them in a media center, in hopes of creating some knowledge about the subject and maybe even a little tolerance. Again I am mixed; I can see both the potential uproar that might occur and the potential knowledge that might be gained…
ReplyDeleteThere was a book for this last Reading Bowl season called "Absolutely Positively Not" and it had a main character that was learning to deal with being gay. The book was written very tastefully and it was checked out of the media center almost as often as Twilight. I was glad to have this book as part of the reading for our Reading Bowl team.
ReplyDeleteI think that since homosexuality is a part of our culture, whether or not any of us think that it is right, it should be represented somehow within the materials in the media center. Of course, I struggle with this because I think that homosexuality is wrong, but the media center is not the place for me to broadcast my values.
There are many reasons to include literature with homosexual characters and about homosexuality in the media center, as long as it is tastefully written (and the same goes for heterosexuality in literature). The main reason though, is to teach the students to accept differences in the people that they will encounter and learn how to function successfully with that person who is different from them. This is to protect both sides. No matter who the person is, they should never have to go through what Erica Barton* went through. No person should have to go through that. While again, I do not agree with her choice, I think that she could have been protected by a little understanding. If that had been the case, she might not have hurt herself because of all of her inner turmoil.
No matter what the topic is, there will usually be some sort of controversy coming from somewhere. I like what Ann Symons said about "building the collection you feel you need and dealing [with the controversy] later. The reality is that our students are going to encounter things that they don't agree with in coworkers and customers, but to be successful they have to learn how to deal with differences whatever they might be.
I cannot speak for the other schools in my county, but I know that our school does not have any resources on this topic. Of course, we are an elementary school. But, I do have a child in my class ( and I know of 2 other students in the school) that has a lesbian mom. I think it would be more comforting to them to have resources that would be familiar to what is normal to them. I know that a lot of people do not find this kind of lifestyle acceptable or appropriate, but it's out there. Media centers should have resources that pertain to the gay and lesbian subjects. If we choose to censor these resources, then we are failing to accommodate to the needs of all our students.
ReplyDeleteI hadn’t thought about it, Delta, but now that you mention it I also have to question the 6-10% gay teen population mentioned in this week’s article. That is certainly not the percentage in our school district. I have to admit that I live in a very conservative area and work in a very conservative school district. However, prior to living and working in Jackson County, Georgia, I lived and worked in Las Vegas, Nevada and I didn’t see that large of percentage represented there either. I’ve never been a person that “jumps on any bandwagon” because I’ve often seen these “bandwagons” crash and burn. I tend to be more thoughtful about my decisions and it has served me well over my lifetime. This is the approach I bring to my media center job and hope that if a selection in my media collection is ever challenged, this approach will provide the tools I need to properly address the challenge. In other words, this approach ensures I will have taken the time to make sure my decisions are not made to placate any particular individual or group and can be backed by our selection policy.
ReplyDeleteI feel that good literature with a homosexuality theme can help others accept those who are different than them. We live in a society where there is becoming more and more of this and it isn’t an issue that is going to disappear. I feel that it important for people to have the choice to read stories that involve this behavior if it interests them. If we try and prevent students from reading things such as this in our schools, they will find another way to read about the information from internet, magazines, TV, etc. At least if they are reading it in our school library it is more likely to be suitable for them and their age level. Children are also growing up more now in families where there are two moms or two dads and preventing books that involve homosexuality wouldn’t be fair to them. People should respect those who chose this lifestyle. School libraries are one place that can show homosexuals that their lifestyle is respected by allowing books that involve this topic to be on the shelves.
ReplyDeleteCourtney, I appreciate your post because you brought up something I hadn’t thought about. It is possible that gay-themed books will cause jokes to be targeted at the student who checks out those types of books. However, the same could be said about lots of different genres. This realization drives home the importance of patron privacy; however, students may still notice what another student is reading. I’m thankful you brought this up because it made me question how I would handle this if it occurred in my media center. I feel the best way to handle it would be to take the joking student aside and explain that everyone has different interests and he/she would not appreciate being teased about his/her reading choices; therefore, should not be teasing others. This scenario is also a good reason to work at reading the books in our media center collections. Then, we could share a little bit about the book in question and show that there is more to it than the gay character/s.
ReplyDeleteLindsey, you touched on something near and dear to my heart, which is teaching students to get along and be able to work successfully with all different types of people. If we are to equip our students to be productive citizens upon graduation, we have to teach and model successful working relationships in all situations and with all people. A classroom or media center provides the environment where we can do this because we all know the many different personalities and beliefs our students have. If any book could prevent what Erica Barton endured, it is definitely a book that should be in media centers.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that all literature should be held to the same standards. That’s one of the things I appreciate about book reviews; you can research ahead of time whether a particular resource you are considering for your media center collection meets the standards you feel your patrons require and deserve.
Yes, there are reasons to include literature on gays and lesbians. Many children either have homosexual friends and/or family, have friends who have gay family members or friends, and older children may be struggling with being gay themselves. Literature could be a way for these students to deal with their feelings or a way for these students to relate to and/or connect with others dealing with the same issues. Literature should help promote acceptance of those who are different and help produce productive citizens.
ReplyDeleteOf course, as others have mentioned, I think it is absolutely necessary for this literature to be held to the same high standards as all other books selected for the media center collection.
sleighbelle- Stacy Eastwood
ReplyDeleteReading all the post it is a little surprising at how many posters agreed that literature including homosexuality should be a part of a media center's collection. I thought being in the deep south that I would see many posts saying it isn't necessary. I personally do not agree with homosexuality, but it is a part of our society and as such should be addressed in a media collection. I do not feel, however, that it is necessary to have more literature that includes homosexuality than say drug use, or profanity, or any other challenged material. I think that it should be a part of a BALANCED collection. I don't feel any media specialist should set up to develop a large collection aimed at one sector of their school's population. I do think that they should make sure that there is literature available that will address homosexuality. One thing I thought about when reading the article was will there come a time that a media center/school system will be sued by a gay/lesbian student for not providing materials that address their alternative lifestyle? Would a student be successful is such a lawsuit was raised? I was just wondering what others thought of this possibility.
sleighbelle- Stacy Eastwood
ReplyDeleteDelta, I agree with you in that it would be difficult to deliberately set out to search out books that are targeted for the homosexual student. However, if there is a book that comes highly recommended that includes the issue of homosexuality I don't think a I would have a problem including it in my media center's collection.
sleighbelle- Stacy Eastwood
ReplyDeletecdyal - I think that for some personal convictions weigh heavily. I think if we are honest it is a struggle in all we do, not just developing a media collection. It was refreshing to see that someone will admit to struggling with the issue and not dance around it by trying to be "politically correct" like you stated. In the end I think the goal of all media collections should be to have good sound literature that promotes all areas of the population it supports even though it is sometimes difficult to align that with our personal beliefs.
This topic has really been one that has made me think! As I said earlier, I think diversity is important in all of our MC. Like many of you I come from a strong Christian background, and I stand strong on my beliefs. With that being said, I am totally being the pot stirrer.
ReplyDeleteAs I read through these posts, and I kept reading all of us saying that we would try to diversify even though we didn't condone the behaviors, I started to wonder how many books were in my local high school mc on the topics of homosexuality, and religion (I chose Christianity and Judaism though I am sure there are many others) There were 32 books found within the subject of homosexuality, 259 books on the subject of Christianity (many series like Left Behind and even Purpose Driven Life and Church), and 343 on Judaism (most were on the subject of WWII) I am sure there are many books that were not tagged or under different subjects that could go in these same categories, I only searched these. I just found it interesting. Just think, what if the local MS was atheist and was having this conversation concerning religious content. I hope she would be as open minded as most of those who posted here.
Sarah makes a great point in her post about having an open minded ms. I am a Christian as well and do not condone things that go against what I have been taught. However, I try to teach my children to love others as God loves us (I am not to judge)...while it is hard sometimes to not form opinions because after all we are human. However, I would hope that if my child entered a media center (with an Athiest ms) that he would be able to find religious content without being subjected to her beliefs or lack of. These posts this week have been quite interesting and have made me ponder over what is considered a good collection that would be beneficial to all of its patrons....the hardest question is "How do I provide "intellectual freedom" without letting my beliefs condone or condemn a topic for someone else. After all there will always be controversial content of some sort......
ReplyDeleteMy biggest fear with the way the economy is going and people are in fear everyday of losing their jobs, is that as a MS, especially at an elementary school, I should try to keep a well rounded collection, representing all aspects of life, however, it should be age appropriate and have approval though the media committee for subjects which are more serious (not just homosexuality, but newer issues like cutting and other sexual issues). This way it is not just the MS putting books out there for the students, our committee sees it as a necessary part of the collection.
ReplyDeletesfuentes said:
ReplyDeleteHowever, I would hope that if my child entered a media center (with an Athiest ms) that he would be able to find religious content without being subjected to her beliefs or lack of.
Just come on into my libraries. I'm an atheist. I sure that all of my students don't know I'm an atheist. I have religious materials in my libraries, just not anything that attempts to convert or glorify one religion over another. Mirroring your statement: my hope is that if my child enters a media center with a Christian ms, she wouldn't be subjected to their religious beliefs or cultural prejudices.
As most people commented, I do believe that their is a place for gay themed literature in the media center. Children need books that they can relate to. As mentioned above, many of our students live with parents who are gay - they need books that talk about families like theirs - I think that these are the most appropriate for the elementary setting. In my opinion, Middle and High School media centers would be the best place for literature about being gay. I don't think elementary students are mature enough to handle those types of books. posted by Holly Boykin
ReplyDeleteI believe that there is a place for gay themed books in the media center. It is the responsibility of the media specialist to provide material for a diverse population of students. A teenager who is gay or a child who has parents that are gay are now a part of our society. Our job is to have a collection that represents everyone. You can have a collection that is informative without promoting a particular lifestyle. I think that there are plenty of books out there that have great stories (And Tango Makes Three being one of them) that also involve a gay family or main character. If a media specialist has And Tango Makes Three on her bookshelf, it does not mean that she is promoting a lifestyle. She is informing her readers of a wonderful true story of penguins!!!
ReplyDeleteIt is unfortunate that so many people in our society are so against and fearful, really, of people who are not like them.
mrsdavis is Maggie Davis, by the way. I have not been good about posting my "real name."
ReplyDeleteI absolutely believe that the material represented in the library should reflect the users of the library, therefore books that include homosexual characters and plot lines are essential components in a well balanced, student centered library. These materials will help homosexual students through the potentially traumatic stages of adolescence by giving them characters to relate to and to help them feel that they are not alone.
ReplyDeleteBased on many of the posts I've read throughout this blogging experience, the other users that would benefit from these books is quite obvious, those who still haven't gotten on the tolerance train. It is never our place to judge and most certainly not our place to share that judgment and condemnation with young, impressionable minds. Reading about different types of people, in different types of scenarios will give students a broader view of the world and hopefully, more compassion than their predecessors.
I believe all people in society should be represented in a mc. The world is made up of characters from all walks of life and these should be reflected in the materials we select for our mc. To exclude any group is censorship and goes against what being a ms is all about. One reason for including material with gay characters is it allows students struggling with their sexual identity to see themselves reflected. It also is important for students to see homosexuals fairly portrayed in literature. Like it or not, just like any other part of society this group of individuals have the right to be authentically portrayed and people have a right to read materials that include homosexuals. There will be some that disagree but the First Amendment clearly upholds the rights for the material to be offered in a mc.
ReplyDeleteI agree whole heartedly with Teresa Maddox that a good selection policy and basing selection on reviews for literature would cut down on challenges or at least provide for a defense for material some might find controversial. By having a good selection policy and consciously choosing material on its own merit that includes homosexual characters or talks about the subject, then you will be prepared for any challenges or objections against the material.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that before doing this course my views about my daughters or students reading books were different and I was not aware of intellectual freedom and I believed that the children should read age appropriate and "good" books which I meant not exposing them to bad words, sex, controversy, and of course I thought they don't need to know about lesbians, gay, homosexuality unless it is necessary. But, now after reading the articles and learning about intellectual freedom, selection policy, First amendment right, I feel how I was wrong. Every child should have the liberty to read and know what is going around the world and should be aware of the things.
ReplyDeleteNow I believe that the media center should have the collection of the books with gay and lesbian characters and this books should be available for reading. It is the fact that if it is not available in our mc then the students will try to find them at wrong places and may end up getting the books from wrong sources. The collection in the mc goes through the selection policy and people supporting it are aware and knowledgeable of the content and will support any challenges.
I would like to comment on Sarah example where she mentioned her 2nd grade son came and asked her about the meaning of the word "gay". Nowadays the children come home and ask questions that alarm you for a minute and we would be like I never asked my parents like these and even though I had question I was scared to ask. Now with so much exposure and technology the children hear things and I think if you don't handle it properly and explain them the right way then it might lead to problems.
ReplyDeleteI read several discussions where they said it is appropriate for middle and high school but I think as the situation comes up the elementary students should also be addressed about these issues of course in a manner that they understand.
I do agree to Kelly's 4 points but with 5th I think it should be based on situations.
I think that including some literature on a variety of subjects, including being gay, is necessary. I think that at the elementary level it does need to be age appropriate. I would not place a book meant for high school students in an elementary library no matter what the subject matter is. The thing I wonder about is what would happen if you see a particular student checking these resources out regularly. I would wonder if this is a student that possibly needs someone to talk to or wonder what the basic interest in the topic is.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I would go ahead and address my concerns about, including controversial items in the library, with the principal and media committee. I would definitely promote placing items related to being gay or having gay characters. However, I think it would be wise to be proactive with building up support for these items. This would prevent being surprised by the lack of support from the principal and possibly committee members. As one article stated, I would definitely be wondering what "they" are going to say. I want to be ready for whoever "they" turns out to be.
Stacy Eastwood made a good point when she brought up the importance of a "balanced" selection. While I absolutely support a collection which offers materials in which the homosexual/bisexual community can relate, I agree that there needs to be material which addresses drug use, abuse situations, etc. There is a difference in "promoting" and simply "addressing" a lifestyle. People come from all walks of life, and often people are quick to judge others based on their beliefs rather than seeing the world through the eyes of those who are "different."
ReplyDeleteStudents are now encouraged to celebrate their differences rather than be ashamed of them. I believe there is definitely a place in media centers for books which address homosexuality. Students, especially middle school age, have a difficult enough time discovering and accepting who they are as people. The student in the article who stated he went to public libraries in search of books which he could relate to said it best when he said he felt “invisible, trapped, and insecure” because he wasn’t living up to his family’s expectations. As difficult as it is being a teenager in today’s times, I can only imagine what it must be like for those who discover they are “different” in such a way that has always been taboo in the past. Many of these students can find their only solace in the pages of a book. I believe that offering materials to which teens can relate during the awkward and confusing times of growing up is healthy and positive, and it is our duty to step out of the box and provide a collection addresses all of these needs.
ReplyDeletePosted on behalf of Jess Miles:
ReplyDeleteI was surprised a little, when the very first comment on this mirrored what I think about this subject. I agree with most of what everyone has said. People do not choose to be gay or straight. I didn’t choose to be straight, but I am and have been since birth. Technically, it is against my religion, but I do not hold it against anyone. They are outcast and that should not be supported.
I have heard all sorts of complaints about how books promote and “turn” kids gay. Bollocks! I’ve read several books with gay characters and they did not make me into a lesbian. They informed me of a culture that was not really talked about in the mainstream. They showed me different forms of relationships and family bonds. The gay and lesbian culture is like any other culture out there. We will never understand it until we learn about it. Students need the option to learn about any culture that exists. It is not promotion in any way. It is a statement.
How many parents are aware that books, like Gossip Girl, not only introduce gay characters, but also the confused teenager who tries it out? This is life and how it works today. I am not recommending graphic sex scenes, gay or straight, for children to read, but they do need to understand this lifestyle.
I think it is sad that so many kids (I believe that Teresa Maddox said 82% are harassed) are so misunderstood. This is a reason to promote learning about the culture, to stop harassment. This is the reason the superhero stories are so popular. They are the outcasts of society who are ultimately needed and not going anywhere.
Gay characters appear in television and movies all the time. I watch a British show called Doctor Who. The recent show introduced a character named Captain Jack Harkness, a pansexual. This character later received his own show (Torchwood) that introduced Jack and his boyfriend. There were lots of complaints, but the story handles their relationship in an uncliched way. They are just two people who are in love. This is usually how relationships are portrayed. THEY ARE NOT PORN!
I did think it was interesting that the week we are to discuss this there was an article about “Bruno” a new comedy with a gay character played by Sasha Cohen. It has brought up lots of rating issues because of gay sex scene. It has received an NC-17 rating, even though similar heterosexual scenes get PG-13 or R ratings.
If anyone is interested in hearing about the experiences of someone looking for why they are gay, check out BBC Revealed; The Making of Me: John Barrowman (From Torchwood) on youtube. It is really interesting.
I definitely believe that we should have literature of this nature in the media centers. The teen years are so difficult for so many children. When you are “different” from others, it makes it even more difficult. Being gay is very difficult to understand for most “straight” people. Some feel that it is by choice. Others feel that it is something you are born with. It confuses the heterosexual group. I can’t imagine what one must feel who is actually the homosexual going through this. Children can be very cruel. So, I think literature in the media center may help these children to cope better. In the article Out and Ignored, Barton states that reading gets her in touch and makes her feel better knowing that there are other people out there like her. The article also states that confidence comes from information and knowing that you’re not alone. I am from a small town. Yes, there are gay individuals that live here but how easy is it for a child who is not sure what he/she is going through to find a support system. Sometimes, they can’t even talk to their parents about this subject. I feel that literature could help them understand what they are going through and help them to realize that they are not alone. I think literature on this subject could help them cope better. The more they feel comfortable and are able to cope, I think they will perform better in school and in life.
ReplyDeleteIt seems almost silly to me to be adding my post - I would simply be repeating what has been said over and over again - represent all sides, regardless of skin color, sexual orientation, family types, religion. To me it does seem so basic - we will fight and justify that our collections are racially balanced, and ethnically represented, and yet this idea seems to be the last holdout. (It is the last right? I keep trying to think of another more controversial topic and am coming up blank.) Years ago it would have been "mixed racial" relationships and now we have "same sexed" relationships. I think it does go back to simply having items being judged on quality and age appropriateness and topic should not even be questioned. I think this is so important for those finding themselves directly in that lifestyle, and for those who are indirectly involved (and like 6 degrees of seperation, I can not imagine that everyone would not be included in this category), AND for those simply interested. For example, I personally have do not know anyone from Tibet, and have never been there, but I certainly would be very interested in reading a good book about someone in that culture.
ReplyDeleteand CDYAL - I was waiting for your post! Even though I hope everyone agrees what makes a great collection, it does not mean that everyone will go out of their way to make it happen. And yet, no one was owning up to it. I don't agree with your opinions on the topic, and I understand that you do not agree with mine, but I am glad you were honest and put that out there. I was interested in hearing why someone would still not put those books in the collection. You have provided some insight. And you certainly can not argue the con/pro if you don't even know what they are!
First of all, I agree with Liz’s comments on Christian beliefs. Teaching elementary school students, I do not believe allowing them to check out gay, lesbian, and bisexual books is appropriate for the maturity level of the children. Some students who come through our small school system do have gay or lesbian parents. I do believe that teachers of elementary students should read literature aloud about different types of families to open the door for all children to know they will be accepted in the school no matter what. This material should be pre-read by the teacher to ensure it is suitable for the age group. It is often hard for older students to feel accepted by their peers. These students could find acceptance and a better understanding of themselves within the pages of a book. Each child, no matter what age, should feel accepted by all. If teenagers are allowed to check out books in their local library it would make their lives much better. They need to know that they are not alone and there are people who can relate to them. When you make a student feel accepted, it not only affects their self esteem, it will improve their performance in school as well. Therefore, I support the idea of having gay, lesbian, and bisexual text within high school media centers. A high school’s job is not to force specific beliefs onto a student, but to expose students to different beliefs and expand the minds of teenagers.
ReplyDeleteReading over what Liz mentioned at the beginning of this chate align with my own beliefs. I was raised in a small southern town. As some of you may know, small towns can be very traditional. However, I was fortunate enough to be friends with a guy who is gay. He did not come out until college, but we all assumed. I hate that in high school he did feel out of place and he fit perfectly with us girls. He had no literature to turn to (our school system would not have supported that). I think reading is about getting away from the realities of your own life and reading about other people's lives who relate to our own. So what better opportunity, for people who do feel that they are different, to pick up a book that is similiar to themsevles and begin to reason and relate to thier own sexual orientation.
ReplyDeleteAs an elementary school teacher, I feel that you have to know the population of your own classroom. If you have a parental pair who is homosexual then why not choose appropriate literature that allows that child to feel comfortable with his or her own life without feels like an outcast in the classroom. Allow the students to talk about the literature and it gives you a great opportunity to teach them about our differences.
This year, I had a child with some behavior concerns. Instead of ignoring the problem, I sat the class down and had a discussion about the situation and how it made everyone feel...it was a great learning opportunity. (I believe communication is great in all situations, and what better way to strike a conversation than to first read an appropriate piece of literature that allows further discussion on the topic?)
I too have given this topic much thought. I believe as media specialist that we must provide a variety of literature for our readers. The world in which we live in has changed tremendously in the past decade, and we are now in the 21st century. I know that when I was in school things were much different than today.
ReplyDeleteI teach fourth grade in a rural school, and yes I have taught students that have parents that divorced and that now have same sex partners. This can be very confusing for the child, and if we the media specialist provide literature or books for these students and others it might provide helpful information. I truly believe we are not teaching the children which paths to take, but that not all people are the same. Tolerance is the key word. I want to promote tolerance and by providing a variety of literature to the readers this can be accomplished.
I also agree with Teresa about the selection policy. If a good policy is in place then the chances of challenges would be minimized.
I have visited this discussion many times, but have not felt prepared enough to post. This is a very difficult topic for me. I realize how books and characters are easy for students to relate to, and I believe that we should always be willing to select literature that we think can help students in various situations. However, I am torn because I feel no obligation to select books that "help" homosexuals feel comfortable, like mentioned in the article. I respect them as individuals and consider them as important as anyone in society, but my convictions keep me from believing that facilitating such a lifestyle is help to anyone.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I do think we need books that help students cope with having non-traditional families of all types and the pressure that comes with the situation.
I know that when others read the posts of those of us who are struggling with this topic, they think we need to consider another degree, but I really just wanted to be honest. Like others have said, I probably will not purposely avoid any mention of homosexuality, but I will probably not go looking for books on the topic.
Cindy Pletcher says-
ReplyDeleteWOW! It has been very interesting reading how so many of you were comfortable in discussing your religious beliefs. Could we have had the same discussions in person? I hope so, but I imagine that they would have become extremely heated.
As for the question at hand, I agree that we should include this literature as part of a well balanced collection ((sleighbelle). And as many others have posted, it needs to be quality literature that has been favorably reviewed by several sources. Would I have trouble purchasing this material? Probably, but then that's my problem, and it shouldn't interfere with a student's rights towards IF.
As Kelly Outz put it so well, "this is not your Grandma's library". If it was, there wouldn't be books on many different subjects available for any age student.
I found it very surprising that Alex Yip couldn't even find suitable material in his own high school library. If this isn't possible in San Francisco, where does that leave other schools?
My last comment is really a question concerning support from the administration on these controversial topics. This is a big concern of mine. Has anyone experienced problems with this?
I think Cindy brings up a good point. If books with homosexual characters can't be found in a high school library in San Francisco then what are the chances of finding them in the rural South? I know these books are included in libraries and the people responsible should be congratulated for doing so. Especially if they go against personal beliefs. There will always be topics someone feels is controversial. Make sure a selection policy is in place, know where your administration stands and plan ahead seems to be the way to handle them.
ReplyDeleteI agree Renee. Some people are so nervous and against allowing their children to read books that are against their beliefs. What is that telling the children? What if a child knows at a very young age that he/she is gay? How do you think that child will learn that it is okay if there are no books that represent him or if his parents don't allow him to read any material that he could actually identify with! I also commend administrations and libraries that are more open and accepting of this literature. We should all be so fortunate to be allowed to stock the shelves with this type of diversity!
ReplyDeleteI am sure when divorce was a taboo subject, you would be hard pressed to find this subject in a media center. Look how far we have come in identifying this topic as "normal". People need to realize that homosexuality is a way of life and it needs to be represented in our collections as media specialists. We are doing a disservice to a section of our student population if we don't stock at least a few books onto the shelves that meet these students' needs.
I think that as Media Specialists we have a responsibility to the students that we serve to provide books and materials that mirror experiences that they have or will have. We would not even consider censoring books due to race or socioeconomic status and should not due to sexual orientation either. Books concerning homosexuality have a place in school media centers. There must be guidelines for book selection, regardless of the characters sexual orientation, which makes sure that students are reading appropriate books for their age level. I also found it interesting that there were no books with homosexuality in libraries in a more liberal area like San Francisco and if that is the case then I would be surprised to find any in media centers across the Bible belt. I also was very surprised that a school district would hire a person –library coordinator- to censor every book that was bought in that district. It seems to me that that is a lot of power for one person to have; to be able to deny the purchase of a book with no reason. Providing students’ access to gay themed books would help students that are questioning their own sexuality by giving them an opportunity to see characters in the same situation as their own. It would also benefit other students who are not homosexual by teaching tolerance of other people.
ReplyDeleteI have mixed emotions about including gay literature in school media centers. I can see both positive and negative sides.
ReplyDeleteI think for children who have two mommys or two daddys or who are confused/learning to deal with their sexuality, it would be great for them to have access to and be able to read literature on this topic. However, I also wonder if children would feel comfortable checking such literature out, in a school setting, for fear of being “outed” or ridiculed…
I also have mixed emotions about what age gay literature should be available to children. Should books with gay characters be available to all age groups or mainly middle and upper grades...
I consider myself to be a very open-minded person but like I said before, I’m just not sure where I stand on including gay literature in schools.
I agree with Tammie when she stated "students are curious and they want to learn." After reading many of the posts, I realized that no matter what our own personal values and beliefs are, as Media Specialists, we must provide a variety of books and materials to the public we serve. As many of you said, materials should be age/grade appropriate. If we are not in agreement with a certain lifestyle/belief, we must put those feelings aside to provide accurate information to our patrons. The right literature can have a powerful impact on one's life.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Chandler Kelly's post earlier-I'm also not sure about including these types of literature in an elementary collection. Parents are usually very protective of what their children are exposed to at such an early age and I tend to agree. However, I believe in limiting exposure at that age to any excessive sexual content (not just homosexual content).
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I think that it is necessary to allow our students access to a variety of literature. How terrible to know that you might be going through something that you feel like you can't talk to anyone about and you can't even find books that relate to your issue! I think that kids are always looking for a means to relate what's happening in their lives to other people's experiences, and books are a valuable tool for them to do that.
I also think that having books concerning these 'controversial' topics would benefit other students by helping them to understand and empathize with people that are different from them. After reading the article, I thought that the librarian, Arla Jones, had some good advice when she said, "Don't make a big deal out of building a gay collection, just make sure books are well catalouged so kids can easily find them."
-Melissa Otwell
In response to Cindy Pletcher's question about administrative support on controversial topics, I admit that I have wondered about the same thing. We have not had any book challenges that I can base my answer on; however, we do have students that openly admit they are gay and our administration treats them just like any other student and insists the entire faculty and student body does the same. In other words, all students have to abide by the same rules and are provided the same opportunities to succeed to their fullest academic potential. With this in mind, I believe that my administration would support my media selections as long as I have abided by our district and school policies. However, I have to admit that I'm praying I'll never have to find out!
ReplyDeleteWow, Mandi, I completely understand how you feel and want to say you are very courageous for your willingness to share your feelings about this very difficult subject. I believe you are someone that would stand strong in your beliefs whether it’s through this type of environment or in a face-to-face discussion. I admit that I would also not want to ever give anyone the impression that I support homosexuality in any way; however, would also not want to ever give anyone the impression that I think any less of someone that claims to be homosexual. It’s obvious you feel the same way from your statement that you “respect them as individuals and consider them as important as anyone in society.”
ReplyDeleteI guess the best we can do is be honest about our beliefs but do so in a loving, caring manner. This is only possible if we separate a human being from their actions. I brought my children up to never hate a person even if they hate what the person did or does. That’s the way I lead my life and the example I provide for my student and coworkers. Lastly, I believe it’s safer, for all involved, if we only share our beliefs if specifically asked. After all, that’s probably the only time a person is ready to listen to what we have to share. This is part of the reason I feel well-written, gay-themed books have a place in our media centers. If provided in the right environment, books can spark conversation that would never happen without them. This environment has to be a safe, non-judgmental environment that allows people to discuss situations without fear of being condemned. That’s the type of media center we have and we want to maintain.
I don't think making known your personal feelings about politics, religion, homosexuality, divorce or any other topic has a place in a mc. A ms is there to provide a service. There should be no judgments about what someone checks out or how many or how often. That is a violation of a person's privacy. Having a cross section of good literature is the job, not policing what someone chooses to read or why.
ReplyDeleteNikki - I agree with you that we are doing a disservice to the students who need books about nontraditional families if we do not have these books on our shelves. Believe me, it is true that as short a time ago as the 1980's there were few books that made children of divorced parents feel less alone. And I have had friends who were gay students - one was pretty much disowned by his parents, the other had his parents full suppport. I saw firsthand how these students could have used some information and suppport without judgement one way or the other.
ReplyDeleteI am not saying we push these books on students or even suggest them unless we are asked. I do not think that it will be easy (without support from administration and a good policy, it may be somewhere between difficult and impossible)to get these books for our centers. I just believe that it is our job to supply the books that any and every student might need.
This issue is a very current controversy in our district. Earlier this year a popular 11th grader started going through the process of starting a GSA and his proposal was soundly put down. I wasn't shocked. I grew up here and I expected this reaction. I admit that I would be afraid of the reaction of the administration and parents in my district and though I haven't found myself practicing overt self censorship in my media center, I haven't sought out or promoted literature covering these topics either. I did slip in "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" into our new character ed section but I was a tiny bit nervous about it.
ReplyDeleteI think it is very important to give student access to literature concerning sexual orientation and non-traditional families. I also think it's very important to not present these topics as controversies. That is in and of itself taking a position. Literature can speak for itself and though many parents don't believe it, students can think for themselves.
Carter
ReplyDeleteI liked your post. You are so right when you say we should not present the topics as controversies. All of the books in our centers should be presented in the same way - Christian, Jewish, traditional or non traditional. They are there for the students to read so that they can see all sides and learn to think for themselves. I agree that parents and teachers alike sometimes forget that students are very capable of that.
I agree that we should provide access to homosexual information to students of all ages. Like I have said earlier, the sole role of the MS is to provided needed materials to the users, which are primarily the students. Many homosexuals who have yet to admit their sexuality are often confused about themselves. They may not be able to find homosexual information at home because their parents may forbid this type of "behavior." Homosexuality is a real aspect of life and students should not be banned from accessing these types of materials. Other students who are ignorant of homosexuals could become more aware of the emotional problems affecting their lives.
ReplyDeleteYes, there should be literature in the media center about gays, lesbians and homosexuality and any other literature needed. There are so much literature that may help children when they are confused, seeking help and know someone that needs help. We may not believe in some of the literature, but that does not give us the right to deny others access to various literature. The world is so diverse and who are we to try and inject our values and belief on others.
ReplyDeleteI believe these kinds of materials should be included in the media center for the reason simply being – student do need to have something to relate to. Some of our students are gay and lesbian, some come from gay/lesbian families. It should not matter if it is against our personal beliefs or not. Our job as Media Specialists is to support our media center and give our students every possible resource that is physically possible. It is our job to guide to the area they are looking for and monitor our materials, not influence. I think that it should be included in all media centers as elementary students are faced with these types of situations.
ReplyDeleteI think that is only fair to include literature that address gay and lesbians in a respectful and accepting way. I think that, in another 10 years, we will look back (hopefully) and say I can’t believe these books were frowned upon or banned from school media centers. While a lot of parents might object to such books in their child’s school, I think that they have a need to re-evaluate their own judgments and prejudices.
ReplyDeleteI believe that literature that focuses on or includes gay characters should be included in a library’s collection. I think that serving the needs and interests of all readers is most important of all. The world has become a sad, sad, place because people waste time worrying about the types of books that in a library collection. Although we are all free and want our young people to reach their fullest potential, we as a people are stifling them by limiting the types of things that libraries can offer. Instead of moving in to the future, I feel that we are trying to take away the right that so many people have died for us to have.
ReplyDeleteYes, alternative lifestyle literature should be included in a library media collection. The provided literature could help to give valuable insight into an otherwise tabeau subject matter. Although many, many people in our society are still not ready to accept alternative lifestyle living, I think there should still be literature on the subject provided to young readers so that they can form their own opinions and thoughts on the matter. Hopefully after reading appropriately provided gay and lesbian literature, they will develop an understanding(if not acceptance) that many people are different the norm and it is okay to be different.
ReplyDeleteYes, there is a need for literature that focuses on all sexual orientation. I believe that a book with homosexual themes needs to pass the same literary standards as a book with heterosexual themes. I do not believe that books will change someone’s sexual orientation.
ReplyDeleteI believe that all students can benefit from a diverse collection. It can help students with the struggles they might be going through or provide an escape from them. I believe many young people who are struggling with their sexuality do not know where to turn for help—maybe they can find help or comfort in literature. I hope that I can foster a safe environment that will help students find the answer to their questions no matter what the question is. A diverse collection may also promote understanding of the struggles gay students are going through and thereby help alleviate some of the bullying and teasing that they endure.
Many people are offended by others beliefs. Though opinions are as varied as people themselves, societies often share basic common beliefs. Our society has deep religious roots and was founded on numerous Biblical precepts. Many (a majority) shared common fundamental moralistic beliefs. Beliefs such as not murdering, stealing, committing violent acts against mankind, appropriate child care, marriage, and unacceptable sexual acts. Many of these beliefs have been established as laws. However, as our country grew more and more diverse and as people emigrated from other countries, they brought with them their own ideas, beliefs, and religions. Moralistic and religious beliefs began to shift and become more diverse. More recently, many have chosen to reject religious beliefs altogether and make life decisions based on how they feel about certain things. Beliefs, however they are derived, are held in deep places and with much conviction. With such a wide assortment of beliefs, people who express opposing views offend others.
ReplyDeleteMany groups with shared beliefs feel a need to convert others to their way of thinking. They feel that the human conscious needs to be reconfigured to include their opinions as the “true” truth that should be followed or embraced by the majority. And many groups use the media such as art, music, literature, film, television, and theater to name a few, to get their message out. This was clearly evident in the Civil Rights Movement. Often times, overt attempts or aggressively pushing an idea, especially when the majority’s belief is at the opposite spectrum, open doors for offense. Most people are easy to offend anyway by nature. Things people say, do, or imply can be offensive to some. People are offended by being included, excluded, by how some dresses, how they act, what they say, or even by what they believe. So the question is not “when” someone will be offended, rather it is “what” will offend them next. Because change is inevitable and ever shifting values and beliefs will always be present, there will always be minority groups with radically diverse views who push for change and acceptance from the greater majority as they attempt to establish their way of thinking into the mainstream mindset. As they attempt do this, there will always be a strong backlash, the farther away from traditional thought, the stronger the resistance. However, if the “push” is strong enough, if the idea can endure, if resistance to the idea can be blocked, if it can be seen enough, expressed enough, heard enough, and talked about enough, eventually people will not be shocked by the idea. Eventually, it becomes commonplace and people begin to see it as a part of everyday life, and by way of exposure it becomes accepted as part of the norm.
It is during this process that media centers or libraries get caught in the crossfire. Since we handle many of the venues that activist groups use to spread their unconventional messages, librarians often become the contact point between two opposing views. Our jobs require us to provide information. In the school systems, media centers are required to design the collection around the curriculum and work within age appropriate constraints, while public libraries do not have these limitations. Therefore, public libraries have more freedom to include all points of view and even the most controversial mater on a much broader scale, as well they should. However, for public school libraries herein lies the root of the dilemma. Media specialists working within the public school systems, having to make these additional judgment calls, and it is the “age appropriate” element that often places them on the front lines of certain controversies. They are first in line to hear complaints and objections from parents as well as the public. They are the ones that take much of the heat because they are responsible for making the decision to place the item in the collection. Most are willing to take this heat IF they actually believe in what is being objected to. However, many media specialists are asked to stand up and protect the inclusion of ideas and beliefs that are contrary to their own, which for many presents a problem, although arguably it should not. Ideally all MS should have a clear understanding as to the function of libraries as information sources. Still, some find it confusing and do not understand how to stay true to their convictions, whether religiously based or not and still support intellectual freedom of information.
Whether media specialist, parent, or teacher, those who have deep spiritual reasons for believing the way they do often feel an awesome sense of responsibility to show the next generation the way to enlightenment. Either to God, self, or nature, the responsibility to teach the next generation to be wise, righteous, and noble, especially when it involves their own children, is viewed as a sacred task. Many believe that things taught children ultimately will affect their quality of life on earth, and some believe, throughout eternity. Having this great responsibility and understanding the consequences of ill decisions, most are reluctant to go against their own beliefs. These people are caught in a dilemma of doing something contrary to their spiritual beliefs, which in their minds might have eternal consequences, and doing something that allows access to information and allowing the patron to choose for themselves. Most would agree the latter option should the course to take if the person is an adult; however access to information, especially when it goes against what one believes to be the truth, given to children and students presents profound problems for many.
Children are in a constant state of observing and learning. Whether at play, at school, or at home with their parents, they are like sponges and are VERY impressionable. Although it is unarguably right that they be allowed to make their own choices as they grow older, most would agree that children must be taught to be good decision makers and that it is a skill that never is truly mastered for anyone. Many are concerned that the inclusion and accessibility to certain information might influence their decision making process? Although claims have been made that reading and viewing alternative lifestyle media does not influence a child to become homosexual, I must disagree. Adults know that children are impressionable. Educators and psychologists spend their lives studying methods of training, molding, and shaping young minds. I know from personal experience as a parent of a teenage girl who professed for a short time during her 9th and 10th grade year that she was bi-sexual, that children are indeed influenced by what they hear, read, and by what is socially acceptable. My daughter never exhibited and signs of being attracted to the opposite sex until her association with a couple of friends that also openly professed to be homosexual. Now married, I’ve asked my daughter why she considered this lifestyle when she had never showed any interest before. She explained to me she thought it was because it was popular with the friends she hung out with during that period of her life. She went on to tell me that one friend in particular was very outspoken about being bi-sexual and introduced her to literature (i.e. short stories, fiction novels, and magazines) that promoted the homosexual lifestyle. She said she felt pressure when hanging out with these friends to have a politically correct view of the gay lifestyle and credited her temporary change in sexual orientation to peer pressure.
For those considering Biblical based spiritual implications of adding alternative lifestyle literature to their collection, consider this. God himself often refers to the human race as His children. And at the time of creation, he placed His children in a place called the Garden of Eden, and inside the garden was “The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil”. Although he warned his children not to partake of the tree, still it was there. It was their decision to look inside… to choose. Arguably correct, the first humans (according to the Bible) were created as adults and probably had sharp adult minds, still spiritually they were like curious children. They must have been tempted many times to explore the secrets of the tree and questioned why it was forbidden. Knowing all of this, knowing their temptation, knowing what their ultimate decision would be, still God leaves the tree. However, he tries to teach them that their life will be much richer and blessed if they simply chose not to have the knowledge of good and evil. Having foreknowledge of the problems they would face when choosing to follow some of the information held within the tree, He had a deep understanding of the danger and life and death consequences that would result from making the wrong decision. Likewise, we as parents know the dangers our children face when choosing to follow ideas and beliefs that are not wise. He allowed His children the freedom to choose and continues to allow us the free will to choose. He warns us however, not participate in nor even look on evil practices, because in our sinful nature, the temptation might be too much for us to resist.
“I will set before my eyes no vile thing. The deeds of faithless men I hate; they will not cling to me.” Psalms 101:3
This is only one scripture of many in which God tries to teach people to guard themselves and if possible, not even look at things that would cause them to sin and it is scriptures like these that the secular world cannot relate to. The common sense portion, most understand… “not to put yourself in tempting situations”. It’s the “sin” part many do not understand. Still, it is scriptures like this that would make Christian’s concerned about presenting children with material that promotes homosexuality as a normal, good, healthy practice. Especially when other scriptures can be found like the following:
Lev. 18:22, "You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination."
Lev. 20:13, "If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltness is upon them"
1 Cor. 6:9-10, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God."
Rom. 1:26-28, "For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 27and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. 28And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper."
The point that I am trying so hard to make and one that the secular world needs to understand is that whether deemed right or wrong, the reason many parents (especially those with deep spiritual beliefs) object to material concerning homosexuality being made available to their children, is because they see this kind of decision as one of life or death. Many believe the consequences of their child’s decision will be live out for eternity. And just as anyone would desperately try to protect their child from a grave danger, they are too. And whether one might see this belief to be right or wrong, true tolerance means to respect a person’s right to believe what they want…even Christians who believe that the Bible is the word of God, and what is written there should be honored.
But as Christian MS is it also our responsibility is it to teach this Biblical advice to the children in our public schools? As a follower of Christ, I believe it is the responsibility of all Christians to live their lives in love and to set a good example for anyone who chooses to watch, whether in school or out. We are to abide by the laws of the land as long as they are not contrary to Gods commandments and precepts. We are not to hate people. We are not persecute, brutalize, gossip about, bear false witness against anyone, especially not like the brutality depicted in the article. And if asked why we believe the way we do, we should not be reluctant to explain, as well as listen. And although we do have a huge responsibility to the world to share the perfect love of Christ, we should have the integrity carry out our jobs understanding that my job is to provide information and hopefully teach students how to access,garner,think, and reason their was to sensible decisions.It is ultimately the parent’s responsibility to teach their children spiritual principles if they choose to.
For those who might read this and claim that I am advocating teaching young people to hate homosexuals, then you might read the scripture again, it is the deed that is hated, not the person. Also notice that in the scriptures, many deeds of heterosexuals are also described as sinful.
What the public, regardless of religious beliefs need to understand is that the library is much like the tree in the Garden of Eden. It is a source of information, some good and some evil. Public libraries are sources of information. They are there to provide insight into all beliefs and thoughts of people… ALL people. However, libraries and media centers designed for children carry added concerns. The basic concern and the one I feel is at the root of most controversy concerning library collections is; at what age should children be exposed to more detailed information about the homosexual life style and how in how much detail should they know? More importantly, who should have control or be responsible for dispensing the information? I believe many parents are not concerned with their children understanding that some people are gay, nor are they concerned with their children understanding the reasons why some are gay. It’s obvious that if the child lives in the world long enough they will very soon be exposed to homosexuality. However, many parents, because of reasons discussed above, do not what their children to think homosexuality is a good, healthy, and normal lifestyle. It cannot be denied that many of those who choose this lifestyle feel it is their calling to change the public moral mind about the legitimacy of homosexuality. Many feel factual information is only one aspect of properly informing students and children about this lifestyle choice. The big “push” now is to have libraries contain fiction works for pleasure reading that describe the feelings one undergoes when contemplating a homosexual lifestyle, often very descriptive. Although I believe that the library should fairly represent all sectors of the society, one of the greatest problems I have with many of these books is that they depict characters that do not believe in this type of sexual orientation as unintelligent politically incorrect bigots who are shallow in their convictions and beliefs. Religious views are often dismissed, and rarely is mutual tolerance of opposing beliefs promoted.
So, should the parent be able to choose the when their child is exposed to certain material or should the government? Although it is true that many students go through very tough situations and often are forced to know too much too early, this is not true for just as many. For children that have to deal with many of the issues addressed in books like these, it is true, they might be helped. However to students like my daughter it might prove to only confuse them or at least influence them to take actions that might be regretted for a lifetime. It could be argued that information in some cases might prove to save one child while destroying another.
In listening to people discuss this issue and others like it, I’ve found that many fear that in this day and age of anything goes, the line that distinguishes right and wrong will eventually disappear. Many fear that in an attempt to make everyone comfortable in their chosen lifestyles, we will lose our moral sense. Claims have been made that if the gay agenda is normalized, other groups with unconventional beliefs will also start to push for acceptance. One example of this is the current debate over polygamy being introduced once again to our society through programs like ‘Big Love” and several other television shows which entertain the idea of multiple spouses. Some feel that we will eventually become completely without any social moralistic conscious and that even things such as bestiality will become an accepted practice. As absurd as this may sound, our great-grandmothers and great-grandfathers probably found just as absurd the idea of gay marriage, abortion, selective parenting (in which one chooses the sex or genetic features of their baby), and cloning.
So at what age and by who’s authority should a child be exposed to certain information? Homosexuality is addressed in the Bible. It does not attempt to hide the subject from the children who read it. As a matter of fact, God (Christ) commands his followers to teach their children from this text, and heed the warnings within. He addresses homosexuality many times throughout the Bible and I don’t think he meant for us to hide the subject away from our children. I personally believe it is the responsibility of parents to teach spiritual beliefs to their children, not the government. As well, I believe that as a librarian, I should provide information fairly and without bias about all sectors of the society. And because different children are exposed to many challenges in life at different ages, it is impossible to set a specific age for learning about some of the most difficult choices in life. So I feel the library should include a diversity of beliefs in its collection, even those at opposite ends of the spectrum. That said, I feel the library should embrace all information, which is not the same as saying the librarian should embrace all beliefs. Parents should be taught to understand the role of the library and to use it as a resource to discuss with their children how the information found there can be used and gleaned from to make wise choices and enhance their intellectual and spiritual walk. So in answering the question, “Who might benefit for the inclusion of alternative lifestyle material in the school library?”… I would have to say everyone…IF the purpose of the material is to promote peace and understanding between people with diverse beliefs.
One last thought…after hearing many opinions expressed in this blog and talking with several students, teachers, and media specialists concerning this topic, I have come to the conclusion that the whole idea of “self-censorship” needs to be redefined. Moreover, the “self-censorship” as presented in the context of the Whelan article is not “self” censorship at all; rather it is “imposed censorship”. I say this to make a point. Those who are censoring materials by discreetly avoiding potential controversial materials or using the “black marker” technique are not censoring for themselves, rather they are imposing their beliefs on others. They are choosing what they feel is appropriate for their patrons to see, and it appears they do it for two basic reasons; deep convictions (usually religiously based) or they are non-confrontational and do not want potential problems (wimps)…Sorry.. if I were afraid I would have never posted this monstrosity! I think one of the most valuable lessons we can teach our kids is how to “self-censor”… you know… just deciding for one’s self that, “this is something I don’t want to know about!” An example of personal self-censorship was, when at the beginning of the Iraqi war I wouldn’t watch the beheadings of our boys that were posted all over the Web. It wasn’t that I couldn’t watch, it was because I just didn’t want that image permanently etched into my memory.
We need to teach students to think, choose wisely, have informed opinions, and not to believe something just because they are told, but to look for reasons to believe. We must teach them to know “why” they believe what they do… to exercise their intellectual freedom.