OK, I give up. Admitting it has been 3 years since I've been elem lib, so things
may have changed.
Just what titles are we talking about? 'Inquiring minds want to know'.
Is this an issue being raised due to ordering books that are fine at MS for higher
reading kids? Or books with RL and IL not
matching (ie Blume's _Forever_ at 4.8 rl)
Robert Eiffert, Librarian
Pacific Middle School, Vancouver WA
Pac.egreen.wednet.edu/library
Beiffert at egreen wednet edu
Beiffert at Comcast net
> -----Original Message-----
> From: School Library Media & Network Communications
>[mailto:LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU] On Behalf Of
> Holly Gillum
> Sent: Thursday, September 30, 2004 5:49 AM
> To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
> Subject: Re: Profanity in Children's Books
>
> Good Morning All,
>
> I placed a post on this earlier in the year, but I felt it appropriate to say it
>once again. I am a
> 3rd-4th grade librarian who has noticed this myself. I have a very difficult
>time understanding the
> need for profanity in children's books, just like I don't understand the need for
>profanity in an
> animated movie, hence the PG ratings Disney is so fond of these days. But, this
>isn't about my
> personal views.
>
> I try to "head this off at the pass" so to speak during my beginning of the year
>introduction to my
> students. We do have several titles with profanity, and my students are of the
>age it's becoming
> cool to speak this way, or at least they think it's okay to repeat what they hear
>and read. I simply
> tell them that some of the books have bad words on them - and let me tell you
>why. I explain that
> authors will sometimes use profanity to show us things about a character.
>Perhaps it's a way they
> express their emotions such as fear or anger or hurt. I go on to tell them that
>they shouldn't
> repeat the words or mark them out or do anything other than try to understand the
>context of how
> those words were meant to be taken. What is going on in the story - how is that
>person feeling, etc.
> I also tell them that it's not okay for them to say those words - even to their
>friends on the
> playground - and that the author could probably have chosen different words, but
>they didn't, so we'!
> ve got to
> live with it.
>
> I have not had the first bit of trouble from students - or parents for that
>matter - since I've done
> this. This doesn't mean that the next person to knock on my door won't have a
>list of complaints,
> but I don't make a big deal out of it, and the kids just follow my lead. I've
>told parents the same
> thing - and those that are concerned, monitor what their child reads anyway, so
>it's up to their
> parental rights to decide what the child does and does not read. I do have a
>slight "advantage" I
> call it. My kids are at a transitional age where picture books are no longer
>appropriate - and not
> all chapter books are at their reading and/or maturity levels. I've explained
>this to parents - I
> try my best to pick titles that are appropriate, yet like movies, they sometimes
>slip something in on
> us. It's bridging that gap between lower elementary and junior high where
>content and subject matter
> tends to change rather dramatically.
>
> I personally don't agree with using profanity in children's books, but it's there
>and something we
> have to address. This approach has worked well for me - as a classroom teacher
>and now as a
> librarian. Maybe it will work for you as well.
>
> Good luck!
>
> Holly Gillum, LMS
> Anderson Elementary
> Crossett, AR
> exlibrishg@yahoo.com
>
>
>
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