Re: [LM_NET] US Dept of Ed. School 2.0

[Linda Martin <lindamartin423@GMAIL.COM>]

I think we had better get on board and bombard our legislators to support
the SKILLS act.  One of our local librarians sent a note to her legislator.
Read his response below, and to quote the movie "The Fly",  "Be afraid.  Be
very afraid."

From Rep. John Linder, GA

 Thank you for contacting me to express your support for H.R. 2864, the
"Strengthening Kids' Interest in Learning and Libraries (SKILLs) Act." I
appreciate hearing from you, although I regret that we disagree on this
particular issue.


H.R. 2864 was introduced by Representative Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) on June 26,
2007. This bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of
1965 to require that all public schools, from the elementary through high
school level, that receive Federal funds under the ESEA employ at least one
highly qualified school library media specialist. This legislation is
currently pending before the House Education and Labor Committee, where it
awaits further consideration.


Quite frankly, I question the need for a library media specialist in every
public school, at all levels of instruction. While I appreciate the
importance of employing these specialists in high schools, given that high
school students regularly engage in academic research in preparation for
college, I do not see the same need in elementary schools or middle schools.
A fourth grade student has little need for a highly trained library
specialist who can teach advanced research techniques. What the fourth
grader
needs is a librarian who can make reading enjoyable and spur the student to
read as much as possible. Instilling a love of reading in a child does not
require an advanced certification in library media studies.


Instead of burdening states with "one size fits all" Federal directives,
I would prefer to have state and local authorities decide whether or not it
is economically feasible or necessary to have library media specialists in
schools. As such, should H.R. 2864 come to the House floor for a vote, I
would be inclined to oppose it.


Thank you again for contacting me. If I may be of any further assistance to
you, please do not hesitate to call on me.

      Librarians as a group are not very outgoing people.  I know that is a
stereotype, but if we were more  activist, we would be more responsive to
calls for action on items like the SKILLS Act.  We had better start letting
our representatives hear us roar.  Our jobs are at stake.  How many other
legislators are under the misguided impression that fourth graders don't do
research?  When the president meets privately with groups of talk radio
hosts who propose the dismantling of the Department of Education and
criticize "the failure of government schools", you know what type of
feedback he gets.  We need to make sure that legislators are given accurate
information.  I know LM_NET is not a political forum and I am not espousing
a political viewpoint.  I am simply calling for a professional response to a
frightening situation.

Off my soapbox now...



On 8/9/07, Laura Brooks <brooksla@northville.k12.mi.us> wrote:
>
> Where are the library and information specialists? Apparently, our
> government has been hard at work on developing a School 2.0 paradigm with
> flip charts, maps, bookmarks, etc. While there is a technology strand to
> their retooling of schools, it seems largely systems based. No where is
> there mention of how to retrieve and use all the 2.0 based info in this
> "brave new world". In other words, we don't exist.
>
> I'm not alarmist by nature, but this conceptual model concerns me. Be sure
> to check out the school 2.0 learning community model map:
> http://www.school2-0.org/map.htm (warning- it's 3.5 MB).
>
> Find the elementary and middle schools; neither has a LMC! The Library is
> easily spotted in the High School, but I studied this map long and hard
> before spotting the "librarian". It's the person standing at a table merely
> suggesting that students try an e-book. I guess we should be happy that
> we've graduated to keepers of electronic books instead of print only. If you
> really squint, I think you can see that information specialist sporting a
> bun (sorry, guys).
>
> Why wasn't AASL a key part of this planning? Anyway, I find it disturbing
> that the Dept. of Ed. would overlook us in this manner. Any thoughts?
>
> Laura
>
> Laura Brooks
> Library Media Teacher
> Amerman Elementary School
> Northville, MI
> brooksla@northville.k12.mi.us
>
> "Unless someone like you cares a whole lot,
> nothing is going to get better. It's not."
> -The Lorax, Dr. Seuss
>
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-- 
Linda Martin
Teacher Librarian and Storyteller
Northeast Georgia Library Media Specialist of the Year
Gainesville, GA
lindamartin423@gmail.com
www.lindamartin.us

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