Dear Friends:
As usual, before adding to the stacks, a recent new book order has been
displayed around the teacher's lounge for preview at our K-5 elementary school.
Yesterday, my principal called me in her office and asked me to remove one of the
books titled "Terrorism" (Interest Level 5-8) from the collection and give it
to a middle school, and even at that, she said "it is questionable." She said
that it talks about abortion.
The Follett description: "A+.";"First published in 2002 by Franklin Watts,
London"--T.p. verso.;Includes index.Explains what terrorism is, how it is
perpetrated, and how it has been countered, describing religious terrorism,
ecoterroism, and terrorism for independence and other aims, and includes a profile
of
Northern Ireland, a glossary, and a further resource list.
Yes, it has a small blurb about religious groups that blow up abortion
clinics. However, the colorfull illustrations are true depictions of historial
occurances, i.e. the Twin Towers. The book is only 32 pages long and the ONLY book
in our collection that would describe terrorism to any of our students that
might be seeking information on the subject to satisfy his own curiosity in his
endeavor to become a lifelong learner. I feel that this book would incite
reading as well.
I obediently complied and took the book to one of our middle school
librarians who was very happy to receive it. However, it is bugging me that one or
more
very religious staff members might have something to do with this. I, too, am
religous, but i believe in providing information, not censorship, even though
shocking. Terrorism is very real in our world today. It is not pretty. Why
then is it okay to teach fifth graders about smoking pot, sniffing glue and
hairspray, etc. in the D.A.R.E. program for prevention? Why do we pull a book just
because one or a few object without a trial? Shouldn't we be following
District policy for book removal, even though it never made it to the stacks? What
is your professional opinion on this?
Phyllis Libbe
Stanton Elementary
CVUSD
Castro Valley, CA
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