From: mary holt <mrholt>
Date: Wed, 20 Oct 1999 09:53:21 PDT

It's important to screen our libraries and bookshelves in search of books that might now offend our modern sensitivities. But why put these books on a high shelf? Why not put them in the hands of our children and then TALK to our children about them? What a powerful discussion it would be to deconstruct the merits - and the occasionally offensive nature - of say, Wilder's books with a young person. Isn't that, at least to some extent, the role of a classroom teacher, librarian, or parent? Of course a parent/teacher etc. cannot discuss every book that a young person reads with him or her, but even a few discussions of this nature can heighten a reader's awareness of say, racism in a text. Last year I facilitated a discussion with a group of seventh graders around Lawson's 1940 Caldecott-winning "They Were Strong and Good." During that discussion many students became aware of the ways in which the book is racist, sexist, and classist. Simultaneously, however, we discussed why the book was well-received at the time of its publication, and what about the book is meritorious. During the months after the discussion I noticed that students were more acutely aware of issues such as racism in the texts they were reading, and brought this awareness to classroom discussion. Discussions of censorship - even discussions involving adult "objections" to books - remind me that many people do not feel that children are insightful and intelligent enough to glean what might be offensive from a text on their own - or with just a little guidance.


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Received on Wed 20 Oct 1999 11:53:21 AM CDT