TARGET: Banned Books - Guns

[marian staley <mstale@HOME.COM>]

In our school library there is a book on the history of guns.  It is from
1970 and it tells of the evolution of weaponry from the catapult to
gunpowder to cannons to guns through the ages.  A parent has asked that it
be removed from the shelves.  She says that at a time when children are
shooting children across our country, there should not be books about guns
available to children.  (This is a Grade 4-8 building.)  We understand the
mother's complaint.  We do not want to seem to be advocating violence, yet
the book is a factual history of guns and may seem to be condoning their
use. The current solution is to put the book on a closed shelf and on the
catalog card it will say "See librarian."  There are strong feelings that
this is censorship, but the principal and librarian would like to appease
the parent in some way. What would you recommend?  Has anyone had a similar
experience?

Marian Staley - Teacher working towards School Lib. certification
Lower Moreland School District - Huntingdon Valley, PA
mstale@home.com

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