Dear Colleagues,
I had a situation this morning that just left me flabbergasted. Yesterday's
"Washington Post" was on the checkout desk with the weekend tragedy in Iraq
with the helicopter being shot down the featured story. Normally my papers are
on the rack, but it came in too late yesterday and one of the middle school
teachers expressed interest in it, so I deliberately left it on the desk so he
could pick it up. One of my 1st graders was at the desk waiting for assistance
finding a book. The guidance counselor was passing through the library.
When she passed the desk, she picked up the paper, said to me, "Not in front of
her", walked over to an empty shelf and laid it face down and walked off.
This is not the first time that she has done something like this. She will
move papers from the table outside the library (not my jurisdiction), she
rearranged the books at the fall book fair because she did not want the 9/11
tribute books at eye level for the younger kids. She has also rearranged a display
of new books that included a book about 9/11.
I talked to her this afternoon and told her how I did not appreciate her
coming into my "classroom" and moving things around on my desk, but acknowledging
that I understood her reasons for doing it. She did not apologize, but kept
restating that fact that she felt that the children needed to safe and
protected within the school from the violence of the world.
BTW, this library is for grades PK-8. The library is only one room with a
small section for primary separated by a display shelf and case. It is an open
space. I absolutely have material in the library that is not appropriate for
everyone, and I do understand that just because the information is there, it
does not have to blatantly in the younger children's faces. My problem is that
instead of saying anything to me, she just appoints herself to be the library
police on her own without regard to me at all. So I have got a censorship
issue and I've got a disregard for my profession as a librarian issue going on
here. I have enough to deal with trying to keep the censorship issues at bay on
a daily basis keeping the collection balanced. I don't want the middle
school students put off by cutesy dispays and posters, and I don't want the younger
kids checking out YA books. I don't need a guidance counselor doing my job
and rearranging the library's collection because of disturbing images or
content.
Has this happened to anyone else out there? Am I wrong for being concerned
by her actions? How much responsibility should I take on for shielding
materials in a "one for all" library?
Any and all responses will be welcome.
TIA,
Camille Atkins
Head Librarian, K-8 Librarian
Highland School
Warrenton, Va.
cuavcu@aol.com
catkins@highlandschool.org
www.highlandschool.org
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