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There was an article in the religion section of the Fort Worth Star Telegram about a new book showing support by Christians for Harry Potter last Saturday. The article is available at the following link for a short time. http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/living/4170125.htm Having Christian writers supporting the books cannot hurt. Carl Seale, Librarian -- Retired cseale@hillsboro.net http://www.hillsboro.net/business/antiquesandthings "Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare" - Japanese Proverb ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bev Lammay" <lammay@EROLS.COM> To: <LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU> Sent: Wednesday, October 02, 2002 1:27 PM Subject: Re: ELEM: Harry Potter Censorship > As the Intellectual Freedom chair of our Virginia Educational Media > Association, I felt that I wanted to respond to George Anne's Harry Potter > censorship dilemma. This is exactly the situation that can occur very > quickly. Events can get out of hand with even the smallest group of > emotional community members. > > To prevent the situation from happening again in the same way or perhaps to > assist you with this particular challenge: > > 1. Be sure that your school division has a Selection Policy that addresses > the types of instructional materials that are included in a school library > collection (both curriculum and leisure reading types). Itemize the areas > to avoid in selecting materials appropriate for school libraries; i.e. > profanity used inappropriately for the characters in the story; inflammatory > or racist language; graphic sexual details; etc. > 2. Have a community-based standing committee already established whose > members serve 3-year terms or another duration of your choice. These > parents or community members need to represent the various magisterial > districts or communities in your area. Your other members of the committee > need to be teachers, language arts specialists for various grade levels, > administrators for each level, a non-voting School Board member, and a chair > who merely facilitates the discussions. Don't wait until a challenge occurs > to establish your committee - complainants then feel you have "stacked the > deck!" > 3. A clearly written policy & procedure needs to be on file with your > school division, either in a policy book or in a superintendent's office. > And the policy and procedures need to be followed every time there is a > challenge. > 4. Complaint forms must be completed by EACH parent or community member, > and on the form it states that he/she must have read the entire book. > 5. The committee's recommendation is made to the Superintendent who shares > the results with the School Board. > 6. Remember - ultimately the School Board has the right to make an > independent decision that may or may not be consistent with what the > committee has recommended - at least in Virginia that is state law. > 7. Reminder - If your process reflects a community approach, then that is > exactly what it should be. This means that the individual school library > media specialist has no more right to say that the book stays on the shelf > than the irate parent. > 8. I would also hope that your local area library media association might > offer continuing workshops on this very topic. It's not pleasant, but with > procedures in place, school library media specialists have a better > opportunity to exhibit the professionalism and leadership that these very > emotional issues require. > > I have done workshops on this issue and have weathered many materials > challenges. ALA and AASL websites & staff are wonderful resources, as are > the publishers of the books. They have wonderful data about previous > challenges and remarks from the authors that can be used in your committee > discussions. Let me know if I can assist you in any way. > > No matter what - you have colleagues who support your efforts! GOOD LUCK! > > Bev > > Bev Lammay, MEd, MSLS > Retired Supervisor > Henrico County School Libraries > Richmond, VA 23233 > 804.741.3710 > lammay@erols.com > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "George Anne Draper" <GDraper@WYNNE.K12.AR.US> > To: <LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU> > Sent: Wednesday, October 02, 2002 11:54 AM > Subject: ELEM: Harry Potter Censorship > > > > <color><param>0100,0100,0100</param>Well, Friends, it has happened in our > community. A middle > > school reading teacher went to a workshop this summer where > > they developed a unit on Harry Potter. Before she taught it, > > she discussed it with her students, and the overwhelming > > majority of them wanted to read it. She then sent a letter to > > the parents that they were going to read it. Need I say more. > > A small group of people (including "some" of the parents) > > protested in a meeting with the teacher, had a television > > station interviewing them,and are now getting up a petition to > > take it out of the library. When a reporter asked those at > > the first meeting how many had read the book, <underline>not one person > > in the protesting group had read it</underline>. Our superintendent "asked > > her" not to teach the book to stop all the dissention. We > > actually have groups saying that she believes in witchcraft > > now. It has been ugly. It has pitted churches against > > churches, friends against friends, and teachers against > > teachers. If you have time, please answer these questions. > > > > > > Is Harry Potter included in your curriculum? > > > > > > Have you had to address complaints about it either in the > > classroom or the library? > > > > > > What has been your best source in handling these situations? > > > > > > Thanks. > > > > George Anne Draper, librarian > > > > Wynne High School, Wynne, AR > > > > gdraper@wynne.k12.ar.us > > > > =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-= > > All postings to LM_NET are protected under copyright law. > > To quit LM_NET (or set-reset NOMAIL or DIGEST, etc.) send email to: > > listserv@listserv.syr.edu In the message write EITHER: > > 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL or 3) SET LM_NET DIGEST > > 4) SET LM_NET MAIL * Please allow for confirmation from Listserv. > > For LM_NET Help see: http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/ > > Archives: http://askeric.org/Virtual/Listserv_Archives/LM_NET.shtml > > See also EL-Announce for announcements from library media vendors: > > http://www.mindspring.com/~el-announce/ > > =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-= > > > > > > =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-= > All postings to LM_NET are protected under copyright law. > To quit LM_NET (or set-reset NOMAIL or DIGEST, etc.) send email to: > listserv@listserv.syr.edu In the message write EITHER: > 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL or 3) SET LM_NET DIGEST > 4) SET LM_NET MAIL * Please allow for confirmation from Listserv. > For LM_NET Help see: http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/ > Archives: http://askeric.org/Virtual/Listserv_Archives/LM_NET.shtml > See also EL-Announce for announcements from library media vendors: > http://www.mindspring.com/~el-announce/ > =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-= > =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-= All postings to LM_NET are protected under copyright law. 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