wonderful posting, Shonda. The discussion also came up in my library
yesterday as I worked with the peer ministers. These are elected seniors
(one applies to be a peer minister) who work with groups of 5 or 6 freshman
all year discussing "issues". It is a religion class that is activity based.
Currently we are working on writing a "chastity" policy for the school -
which will help their discussions with the freshman. Some of the ministers
are working on gay issues and how they should be addressed by the school.
Fascinating discussions - another reason why I love working in a high school
setting.
Allan
Dr. Allan O'Grady Cuseo (Brother Donogh Allan, MGC)
Bishop Kearney High School Library
125 Kings Highway South
Rochester, New York 14617
585-342 -4000 x231
585-342- 4694 (FAX)
acuseo@bkhs.org
Education in the tradition of the Christian Brothers
FAC OMNIA BENE (Do all things well)
Bless the work.
Bless the day.
Come to aid us.
Angels stay!
Irish blessing
----- Original Message -----
From: "Brisco, Shonda" <briscos@TRINITYVALLEYSCHOOL.ORG>
To: <LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2004 5:32 PM
Subject: Re: Please Vote
> On the same note....
>
> I just finished working with a class (all week) on issues relating to
> "national debate" topics. One issue chosen was gay rights and / or the
> rights of homosexuals to marry.
>
> The recent discussion on this list regarding the use of words such as
> "choice" or "lifestyle" allowed me to redirect the discussion with these
> students to think not only about the topic but also about the way in
> which we address issues in a group. We began to discuss how words can
> create "walls" against individuals rather than provide us with "bridges"
> to connect. =20
>
> Through their discussion, I saw students actually coming to terms with
> this issue much faster than we did only because they immediately
> realized that their choice of words and their reactions to the topic
> affected individuals. =20
>
> To sum this up...today I saw hope for the future.
>
> ~Shonda Brisco
> Trinity Valley MS / US Librarian
> Fort Worth, TX
> briscos@trinityvalleyschool.org
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dr. Allan O'Grady Cuseo [mailto:library@BKHS.ORG]=20
> Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2004 2:12 PM
> To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
> Subject: Re: Please Vote
>
> It is amazing how librarians and our work seem to surprise me
> constantly.
> Today I received a call from an elementary school librarian who asked
> for my
> suggestions concerning a good book for a 5th grade girl to read. The
> girl's
> mother had approached the librarian and told her about her son ( a 16yr
> high
> school boy in the same district) who had just "come out" to her. She
> wanted
> to find some books with positive gay male characters suitable for a 5th
> grader.
>
> I knew of many YA titles and some elementary titles but nothing came to
> mind
> for a 5th grader. It is the mother's hope that this would generate
> conversation between her and the daughter and she could then discuss the
> brother's gayness in a positive manner. How weird ( or not so weird -
> God
> has a great sense of humor) that this should occur during this thread.
>
> I called the Gay Alliance and found the mother had already contacted
> them
> about her son joining the Youth Group. I gave the Alliance the
> librarian's
> phone number and the youth coordinator is going to suggest some titles
> for
> her.
>
> Allan
>
> Dr. Allan O'Grady Cuseo (Brother Donogh Allan, MGC)
> Bishop Kearney High School Library
> 125 Kings Highway South
> Rochester, New York 14617
>
> 585-342 -4000 x231
> 585-342- 4694 (FAX)
>
> acuseo@bkhs.org
>
> Education in the tradition of the Christian Brothers
> FAC OMNIA BENE (Do all things well)
>
> Bless the work.
> Bless the day.
> Come to aid us.
> Angels stay!
> Irish blessing
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Marilyn Johnson" <mjohns@HOLBROOK.K12.AZ.US>
> To: <LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
> Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2004 2:27 PM
> Subject: Re: Please Vote
>
>
> > And I, Shannon, truly appreciate your response, understanding, and =3D
> > acceptance of differing opinions. After I read the comment concerning
> =3D
> > laughter and the 1950s time warp, my cheeks burned and I felt =3D
> > humiliated. I am very liberal and accepting, but my comments to the =
> =3D
> > person who posted that message were that I think we do make mistakes =
> =3D
> > sometimes in book selection by review and that we are responsible to =
> =3D
> > provide appropriate materials for our schools. I said I think
> elementary =3D
> > children should not have to think about sexuality. The other comments
> =3D
> > pointing out that it was not about sexuality but about acceptance =3D
> > reminded me that that is absolutely true. I appreciate that reminder.
> I =3D
> > still think, however, that I must do my best to reflect the values of
> my =3D
> > community in my collection, that the libraries I direct are not my =3D
> > libraries but belong to the people in my community. I would never =3D
> > ridicule or allow students to ridicule the shortcomings, lifestyles, =
> =3D
> > choices, orientations or physical and emotional differences of other =
> =3D
> > people. I do, however, make choices in selection of materials based on
> =3D
> > what is appropriate for age and emotional level and for our community
> =3D
> > values. Sometimes I make mistakes. I do my best to represent all
> views, =3D
> > have a balanced collection and to promote acceptance. I personally =3D
> > believe that someone who asks for opinions then ridicules the ones who
> =3D
> > are different from hers has an acceptance problem herself.=3D20
> >
> >
> > Marilyn Johnson
> > District Library/Media Services Coordinator
> > Holbrook Unified School District #3
> > Holbrook, Arizona
> > mjohns@husd3.holbrook.k12.az.us
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Shannon Miller [mailto:blm98j@CHARTER.NET]=3D20
> > Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2004 11:34 PM
> > To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
> > Subject: Please Vote
> >
> >
> > I've truly appreciated everyone sharing their opinions and providing =
> =3D
> > helpful information for those of us who have not yet experienced this
> =3D
> > controversy. I know it's been difficult for some to share their
> opinions =3D
> > for fear of being labeled as biased, old-fashioned, or worse,
> identified =3D
> > as prejudiced. As I've been reading, I was reminded of my job as a =3D
> > librarian to not make judgments on issues and to simply provide =3D
> > information on either side. Man, is that hard sometimes! I feel that
> it =3D
> > would be beneficial to present some viewpoints of the more
> conservative =3D
> > side and offer a way to respond to it productively as an elementary =
> =3D
> > school librarian. It is far more important for us to understand their
> =3D
> > perspectives before disregarding their opinions or preaching against =
> =3D
> > censorship. I have no doubt that these books will be on our elementary
> =3D
> > school library shelves shortly, if they're not already, so I view my
> job =3D
> > as finding a way to productively address the concerns of these parents
> =3D
> > without making their values out to be petty.
> >
> > These days we believe in being totally tolerant of anything and if you
> =3D
> > have concerns about something then you, in turn, are bashed (ironic, =
> =3D
> > isn't it?). Although it's not always true, people in the more =3D
> > conservative category are often Christians or otherwise God-fearing =
> =3D
> > citizens. They feel that h0mosexuality is wrong in the eyes of God and
> =3D
> > fear that if these types of books make it to the school bookshelf,
> then =3D
> > their child will learn to believe that these relationships are the way
> =3D
> > God intended them to be. They feel that the penalties of practicing =
> =3D
> > h0mosexuality, in the Bible, are equal to or even worse than death (A
> =3D
> > few are: Gen. 19:4-5, Lev. 18:22, Lev. 20:13, Romans 1:18-27, I Cor. =
> =3D
> > 6:9-10, Jude 1:7, 1 Tim. 1:9-10). They hear about the "g*y gene"
> that's =3D
> > recently being debated amongst doctors and wonder why it's any
> different =3D
> > from all of the other genes that make humankind desire unhealthy
> things =3D
> > (for example: alcoholism, obesity, violence, etc.). For in all other =
> =3D
> > gene-related situations, there are a number of successful methods in
> our =3D
> > society to work against inherent urges. This group believes that we
> have =3D
> > free will, that we can make our own decisions despite bodily urges,
> and =3D
> > that no inherited gene forces us to do something that God calls
> sinful. =3D
> > They even have thousands among them who now consider themselves =3D
> > "recovered homosexuals". Hearing of these books entering their
> child's =3D
> > library that promote g*y/l*sbian lifestyles strikes fear in their
> hearts =3D
> > because their belief is that this act leads to death. In their minds,
> =3D
> > having such a book in the library is just one step away from having
> this =3D
> > side being taught as truth to their child in the classroom. So when =
> =3D
> > considering the library books available to their child, they are
> looking =3D
> > for consistency. In the library we claim to believe in presenting all
> =3D
> > sides of an issue, no matter who is offended, and that we provide
> equal =3D
> > reading materials so that our patrons can get an even amount of =3D
> > knowledge and perspective. However, it is doubtful that any school =
> =3D
> > library will be allowing the other side to this issue in their =3D
> > libraries. It's simply not the same to have a story about a =3D
> > heterosexual family and call that equal representation because it is
> not =3D
> > at the heart of this issue. In other words, it's not homosexuality
> vs. =3D
> > heterosexuality, obviously. But can you imagine having a book =3D
> > specifically about homosexuality from the conservative "Christian =3D
> > family" perspective on the elementary library shelves? So, these =3D
> > parents have logical fears that only one side will be represented,
> thus =3D
> > encouraging their children to believe in its justification.
> >
> > As a librarian, I would be especially sensitive to this crowd. I am a
> =3D
> > Christian and my husband is a Greek and Hebrew scholar. Therefore, I
> =3D
> > feel that I could talk with the above-described parents easily. =3D
> > Although not all Christians see everything the same way (in fact they
> =3D
> > rarely do, LOL), I do understand the above-mentioned concerns and I =
> =3D
> > admit that I feel similarly. I sympathize with their fears about =3D
> > parenting in the coming generations. That being said, I would
> encourage =3D
> > them to check out the books in question, take them home and read them
> =3D
> > with their children, and then discuss their own beliefs with their
> child =3D
> > based on the Bible and their relationship with God. It seems that
> facing =3D
> > this subject head-on would be better than hiding it from children. =
> =3D
> > Trust me, their children will be hearing about it at school regardless
> =3D
> > of what books are on the shelves. Do they want their young children's
> =3D
> > education to come from another student at school, who might be =3D
> > name-calling, or from them? If they have this opportunity to share
> with =3D
> > their child, then they can also share the Godly perspective about
> loving =3D
> > others even if they don't agree with their actions-which I deem as the
> =3D
> > most important lesson for a child to learn when dealing with such an =
> =3D
> > issue.
> >
> > Thank you for allowing yet another perspective. It's just a (very) =
> =3D
> > general overview of one side and my .02 on one possible way to address
> =3D
> > this positions. (I inserted * and 0 in some words as I understand the
> =3D
> > need for filters. At work we were getting hundreds of spam e-mails =
> =3D
> > daily asking us if we wanted to view porn and such. There was no way
> to =3D
> > block them so they did the next best thing-added filters.)
> >
> > Shannon Miller
> > Previous K-2nd Teacher
> > Currently completing MLS degree
> > DFW, Texas
> >
> >
>
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