Here is the HIT from a request I made regarding parent permission to
check out some books in a middle school library. Often a book is age
appropriate for an 8th grader but not for a 6th grader. I am going to
put the YA label on those books that are appropriate for 8th grade and
let only the 8th graders check them out. Here are the other emails I
received:
My principal just told me to say to kids with questionable books that
"Make sure your parents know you're reading this." I've even had kids
then put the books away.
****
I never separated the books but I did go to 6th Grade Orientation each
year
and to the first PTA meeting and made a speech that went something
like
this: I need your help. As you know, there is a wide range of age and
experience level in this school. I have 6th graders who are still
innoncent
children and I have 8th graders with their own babies. I need books for
both
ends of the spectrum. I do try to watch what your children are checking
out
but I'm not always the one on the computer. So, will you help me? If
your
child comes home with a book that you feel is not appropriate for him
or
her, would you send it back? I'll let your child get another book, no
questions asked. But remember, it may be just the book that an older
student
needs--and it may be right for you child in the future." I never had a
book
challenge. I had books brought back, sometimes even by the parent, but
there were never any problems.
***
We have no restricted shelf and we serve PK through 12.
***
I am at a 7-12 school library. We have a shelf of books that a 7th or
8th grade student must bring in a 'permission slip' to borrow. It is
just a half
sheet of paper that says: ______________ (student's name) has my
permission to borrow ________ (Title of Book) from the Library Office
Collection. _______
(Parent or Gaurdian's Signature and Date). It isn't much as we did not
want to censor or 'open a big can of worms' but it alerts the parent
that the content
may be more mature (language, content, etc). On this shelf we have,
Leslie's Journal, Go Ask Alice, Friday Night Lights, Malcolm X, and the
Stephen King Books.
I just started this fall, so this shelf was set up before I got here. I
was told it was because of language or mature content or a parent had
voiced concerns
about a book. I will have to read them and see what I think (if not
before, this coming summer - you know how much 'free' time we have!). I
hope this helps a
little. Can you post a hit or let me know what responses you get? I'm
working with this issue too!
***
I don't have any help for you on your permission slip, but I would
like
you to post your results. I'm a K-6 librarian in a small district.
My
son and daughter will be moving into 7th grade next year. Their
library
is 7-12 and they are pretty much allowed to check out whatever they
want. I don't really agree with this and am curious how others handle
controversial books with this age level. Thanks so much.
***
I share your concerns. I am in a K-8 Catholic school and my 6,7,8
graders have a special section where the books are labeled YA. I do
not have a parent permission form because I don't want to make it easy
for 5th graders to check out YA material. If they insist, I will hold a
book and tell the student that one of their parents has to write me a
note authorizing them to read from the YA section. (I really discourage
it) As far as the difference between 6th and 8th, I do agree that at
times the material in a book might not be fully suited to the social
development of a 6th grader. This is why I insist on doing all the
check outs. This is when I can offer my opinion on whether or not a
student will "enjoy" the book they selected. Every now and then I do
suggest to a student that they might not have made the best selection
for their reading interests, always based on content. (censorship or
self preservation?)
I often have toyed with having just an 8th grade section but my
schedule always seems to have higher priorities.
***
I have such a shelf in my office with about 20 books. I fought doing
this for years. My previous principal was conservative to the extreme,
so for my own sanity I gave in. So far it has worked. I have a new
principal this year and the jury is still out on him. I haven't had
any
parental complaints so far. I will attach a copy of my permission
letter. I copy this letter on school letterhead (thus the spacing at
the
top of the page.)
***
It's really against ALA guidelines to do this. I've been teaching
middle
school for 17 years, and by and large I've discovered that students
have an
innate ability to check out what's appropriate for them. My 6th
graders don't
check out the more mature books because they don't appeal to them --
and if one
does check them out, they return it pretty quickly. I also tell our
students
-- "this book is PG-13 for language (or rape, or whatever) and if
you're
parents wouldn't want you to check out a PG-13 book, don't get it." My
kids
are pretty honest about whether a specific book would be appropriate
for them.
I also tailor my booktalks to match the maturity level of the kids.
For
example, one of the reasons I don't have any problem with Speak by
Laurie Halse
Anderson being checked out by 6th graders is that I booktalk it to my
8th
graders the first week of school and I never see it again (it stays on
reserve
by the other eighth graders who are fighting to read it).
***
No shelf requiring parental permission...talk about promoting book
interest or stealing or advertising to your parents that you might have
something inappropriate in your library! Because, there are
parents/grandparents/community members/ who would love to take that
information to the locaI do-nut shop!
I do use YA stickers (much to the dismay of one of our 9 & 10th grade
librarians) that I bought from DEMCO, I believe. That way, if the book
is in a sixth grader's hands, we talk about it before the student checks
it out. I don't pervent a sixth grader from checking out - say FAULT
LINE...but, I do want to discuss the book with them first. A risk?
Maybe...any problems so far?...none. I have had sixth graders put the
book back or hand it to me and decide to choose another. But, I've also
had them check out a YA book and turn totally on to reading! Perfect
solution - naw, but - to me - so much better than a "no-no" shelf...
Middle School Realistic Fiction is a mine field. But, you have to
serve your kids - the ones who still pay with toys and the ones who
have "filled out" better than some adults! (Leave that line out if you
post a hit! LOL)
I also talk about the YA sticker in 6th grade orientation...probably
the only thing some 6th graders remember!
***
Don't do it. I can think of hundreds of ways a shelf like that can come
back to bite you. I handle it by explaining to all the younger students
that we have books that are appropriate for various types of families
and ages. They need to take responsibility for what they choose
according to their family's values. If they come across a situation or
word that their family doesn't want them to read about, then they need
to return the book. I also sticker my books with adventure, fantasy
etc. One sticker is Inspirational and I use that on Christian fiction
and a few other books--Chicken Soup, etc. Along with headings in the
catalog, students can use that to find books if their families are very
conservative in their reading.
***
I was the librarian in a K-8 school(Until 9/22/06). I decided to set
up a young adult section in the library. This section included young
adult nonfiction and fiction titles.
I created a standard form letter that was sent home with the student
and the book in a sealed envelope for titles that may have caused an
issue with a parent due to the subject content.
The student had to have their parents sign the letter and return it
to me to read the book. If the parent did not sign the letter, the
book was to be returned to me. I was surprised to find that this did
work. I would do a call to the parent to make them aware of what
their child was interested in reading.
In addition, the young adult section was signed, books are labeled, YA
and students in 6 - 8 as well as teachers could sign out the books.
Grades 1-5 were instructed that they were not allowed to sign the
books out because they were much harder to read. We did have students
who went home and told their parents that there were books that they
were not allowed to read. When parents did question this, I explained
the Young Adult section to them.
Hilary L. Grant
Media Specialist
Highland Middle School
305 N. John Street
Highland, MI 48357
granth@huronvalley.k12.mi.us
248-684-8007
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