Fwd: Re: Censorship question, I need wisdom.

[Lawrence Newton <lwnewton@YAHOO.COM>]

--- Shonda L Brisco <bshonda@OKSTATE.EDU> wrote:

> We discussed this point in my graduate program a few
> years ago--if you, as
> the librarian, choose NOT to select a book, does
> that make you a censor?
> We agreed that it does BUT we also agreed that based
> upon the selection
> criteria of the school's library, the community
> standards, and the request
> being made, we should take all things into
> consideration when selecting
> materials.


Wait a minute!  You mean, if I don't order every
single book published in the world, that makes me a
censor?  It's called Materials Selection for a reason!
 Yes, all sides of issues need to be represented, as
long as the materials use acceptable standards of
scholarship and truth (and yes, I would purchase good
quality arguments for Creationism, as wrong as I think
they are ((and yes, I am  Christian, too)).
   Howeve, if every time I choose not to purchase a
book I am being a censor, then the word ceases to have
any meaning.  A censor would be one who refuses to
make available materials for idiological reasons.  I
refuse to purchase pornographic or graphically violent
materials for my elementary students, because those
materials would hurt them.  I don't consider myself a
censor for doing so.

=====
Lawrence Newton, Librarian
Carnegie Elem. School,
Houston (TX) ISD
lwnewton@yahoo.com

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