Re: Congress and the Internet

[Floyd Pentlin <fpentlin@GARFIELD.LEESUMMIT.K12.MO.US>]

> quote from the ALA statement on this  proposed legislation:"... will
> subject educators and librarians to criminal penalties for using the
> Internet and other electronic resources to perform core library and
> educational functions."  I would like to know how having access to
> pornography and pornographic materials can be considered a core
> library or educational function.

Richard it is difficult to discuss the issue with you when you make such
sweeping comments without regard to either the subtleties or the
potential extension of the legislation.

> illegal to provide them unrestricted access to the same materials
> through electronic means?

Does it mean that we take all the cars off the road because reckless
teenagers kill and maim?  No, it means that we use education to inform
and create laws to protect the teenagers and ourselves.


> A large majority of children in the United States go home to empty
> houses without adult supervision, and therefore are placed in a
> situation where they must make their own choices.  We as educators

I think you are treading on thin ice when you start making decisions for
parents.  What makes you think you necessarily know better?  It seems as
if there are two issues here.  Protecting minors and parents taking
responsibility for their children.  There are ways for parents to take
responsibility for their children and yet not make the library community
at risk for helping students with their homework.

> We have children in our school who have been sold into child
> pornography.  There are also children across the U.S. who are sold
> into pornography for monetary gain to buy illicit drugs, or to pay
> off drug debts.

So what is your point?  We have children who are being beaten to death by
their drug-crazed mothers.  There is a lot of evil in the world today.

> Am I the only one who feels this way?  Are there others out there who
> are brave enough to publicly take a stand on this subject?

Obviously you are not the only one who feels this way.  We seem to have a
lot of people in Congress who are most anxious to perform radical surgery.


> I have received support for this message from all the teachers in our
> school.  Please join us in standing up for decency in the United

So nice to know that we can depend on you (and evidently your *entire*
staff (how do you all think so monolithically?) to uphold decency in America.


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Floyd Pentlin, Library Media Specialist                   VOICE: 816-251-8516
Lee's Summit North High School / 901 NE Douglas             FAX: 816-251-8596
Lee's Summit, MO 64086         E-MAIL:  fpentlin@garfield.leesummit.k12.mo.us
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   You can't have everything.  Where would you put it?  -- Steven Wright
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