Re: Censorship by labeling

[Robert Eiffert <beiffert@COMCAST.NET>]

But on the other hand, wouldn't it be just as discriminatory as putting on
'Easy Reading' stickers? Labeling the reader and could be just as abusive
(Hey, can't you read the hard books?', 'Look at the nerd with the hard
book.').

Reading level (difficulty) isn't in the same category of criteria as genre
(subject or style).

How is it being determined that the students are choosing 'too easy' a book?
Maybe it is a classroom problem? Wonder what research there is about reading
assignment paradigms.

Robert Eiffert, Librarian
Pacific Middle School
Evergreen SD 114 Vancouver WA
beiffert@egreen.wednet.edu
pac.egreen.wednet.edu/library
robert@crypticmachinery.net

> > I use genre stickers on my fiction books so
> > students will be able to go directly to the
> > shelves and choose an appropriate book for
> > a book report.
>
> > Because many of our advanced students were
> > choosing books that were too easy, I use
> > the "Advanced Reader" stickers to designated
> > books that have a higher reading level or
> > have higher content.  Is this considered
> >"censorship by labeling"?


> I think you are labeling in order to help students
> FIND material.  What you are doing is facilitating use
> of materials.  Even my local library uses stickers to
> label books topically, i.e. mysteries, inspirational
> books, NC authors/settings, sci-fi, etc.
>
> Labeling in order to PREVENT or RESTRICT usage is what
> I would consider "censorship by labeling."  If I
> remember correctly, the initial post in this thread
> dealt with parents who wanted the librarian to label
> books containing information related to evolution,
> because this concept is counter to their personal
> religious beliefs.  Their goal is to cause children to
> *avoid* those books, concepts and ideas.
>
> These are just my thoughts on the matter.  But I am
> still a lowly grad student (for 2 more months!), so
> take it for what it is worth ;-).

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