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[CCBC-Net] books and librarians changing lives--or not!
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From: Maia Cheli-Colando <maia>
Date: Fri, 26 May 2006 10:06:38 -0700
Andre,
Thank you for your powerful message. It is worth considering what we sought in books and never found, because those things surely shape us too.
Reading the end of your post reminded me of sad news in the SFGate today, that Schwarzenegger will veto the legislation recently passed in the Senate, which would have required inclusion of the contributions of LGBT folk in CA texts.
(http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/05/26/BAG2RJ2BBA1.DTL)
Of books that make a difference: Difference to whom? Which difference? Both of the groups below agree that including LGBT stories in CA texts would make a difference to the youth who read them.
Maia
*************************** Sacramento -- If it reaches his desk, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will veto legislation to require public school instructional materials to contain discussions about the contributions of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, a spokesman said Thursday.
The statement from the governor, who rarely takes positions on bills until they pass the Legislature, dooms the measure which also prohibits teaching or textbooks that reflect adversely on people because of their sexual orientation or identity.
... clip....
Backers of the bill vowed to continue pushing it through the Legislature. The measure cleared the 40-member Senate two weeks ago on a 22-15 vote after a sometimes emotional debate.
"We're going to keep going. The governor is clearly doing pre-primary electioneering, and I think it's kind of cowardly to do it on the backs of gay and lesbian kids," said the bill's author, Sen. Sheila Kuehl, D-Santa Monica.
Opponents of the bill argued that it promoted homosexuality and was unnecessary because local school districts can voluntarily offer instruction about gays.
"We're very pleased that Schwarzenegger is listening to the concerns of parents," said Randy Thomasson, president of Campaign for Children and Families, a group that opposes expanding gay rights.
"Schools should be about academics, not promoting alternative sexual lifestyles to impressionable children," Thomasson said in a statement Thursday.
Supporters said textbooks are silent about the contributions of gays or lesbians, just as they were once silent about those of other minority groups.
...clip...
Nancy Silverrod wrote:
> I wish I could say that a book changed my life as a child. There was no
> book that could make things okay for me in the way that I needed.
> ....clip...
> But now I wonder too how lesbian, gay, bi, and trans kids are supposed
> to manage if their libraries put those filters on the computers so they
> cannot access lgbt information sites. I was in a library last month
> that had a display of books out, including a book on Teen Suicide with
> those figures on how lgbt teens suicide at a much higher rate.
> Ironically: not only didn't the book offer a single shred of solution
> for this, the library also had filters on that kept me, and every gay or
> trans kid, from accessing websites like the HRC, NGLTF, and NCTE, which
> might give youth access to needed information and support.
>
>
> Andre Wilson
>
Received on Fri 26 May 2006 12:06:38 PM CDT
Date: Fri, 26 May 2006 10:06:38 -0700
Andre,
Thank you for your powerful message. It is worth considering what we sought in books and never found, because those things surely shape us too.
Reading the end of your post reminded me of sad news in the SFGate today, that Schwarzenegger will veto the legislation recently passed in the Senate, which would have required inclusion of the contributions of LGBT folk in CA texts.
(http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/05/26/BAG2RJ2BBA1.DTL)
Of books that make a difference: Difference to whom? Which difference? Both of the groups below agree that including LGBT stories in CA texts would make a difference to the youth who read them.
Maia
*************************** Sacramento -- If it reaches his desk, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will veto legislation to require public school instructional materials to contain discussions about the contributions of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, a spokesman said Thursday.
The statement from the governor, who rarely takes positions on bills until they pass the Legislature, dooms the measure which also prohibits teaching or textbooks that reflect adversely on people because of their sexual orientation or identity.
... clip....
Backers of the bill vowed to continue pushing it through the Legislature. The measure cleared the 40-member Senate two weeks ago on a 22-15 vote after a sometimes emotional debate.
"We're going to keep going. The governor is clearly doing pre-primary electioneering, and I think it's kind of cowardly to do it on the backs of gay and lesbian kids," said the bill's author, Sen. Sheila Kuehl, D-Santa Monica.
Opponents of the bill argued that it promoted homosexuality and was unnecessary because local school districts can voluntarily offer instruction about gays.
"We're very pleased that Schwarzenegger is listening to the concerns of parents," said Randy Thomasson, president of Campaign for Children and Families, a group that opposes expanding gay rights.
"Schools should be about academics, not promoting alternative sexual lifestyles to impressionable children," Thomasson said in a statement Thursday.
Supporters said textbooks are silent about the contributions of gays or lesbians, just as they were once silent about those of other minority groups.
...clip...
Nancy Silverrod wrote:
> I wish I could say that a book changed my life as a child. There was no
> book that could make things okay for me in the way that I needed.
> ....clip...
> But now I wonder too how lesbian, gay, bi, and trans kids are supposed
> to manage if their libraries put those filters on the computers so they
> cannot access lgbt information sites. I was in a library last month
> that had a display of books out, including a book on Teen Suicide with
> those figures on how lgbt teens suicide at a much higher rate.
> Ironically: not only didn't the book offer a single shred of solution
> for this, the library also had filters on that kept me, and every gay or
> trans kid, from accessing websites like the HRC, NGLTF, and NCTE, which
> might give youth access to needed information and support.
>
>
> Andre Wilson
>
Received on Fri 26 May 2006 12:06:38 PM CDT
