Shoot, I wasn't even interviewed! They just took a look at my LM_NET posting, and
didn't even QUOTE me!
Ah well. Be careful what you write, everyone!
Wendy Stoll
Smyrna Elementary
Louisville, KY
Wendy40@aol.com
-----Original Message-----
From: kochandrea@MSN.COM
To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Sent: Sun, 18 Feb 2007 3:13 PM
Subject: Re: [LM_NET] Subject: NY Times article
Dear Lm_netters,
Wendy, I feel the same way you do and I am sorry I agreed to be interviewed for the
story. I think it gives the wrong impression of my position. I do think this book
offers all of us an important opportunity, parents and educators, for discussion.
I think this book is different because, unlike the other Newbery Award winning
books we do not have in our grade 3-5 library, it is geared toward a younger
audience. Based on the cute illustrations, language, reading level, font size,
etc., that book will appeal most to our 8 year old, 3rd grade girls, particularly
with that shiny gold medal on the front. The word in question is also not just a
body part word used in passing, but central to the story. Lucky is an orphan
looking for a loving adult she can have open and honest discussions with about all
the things she is curious about. Our students deserve the same thing, a responsible
adult willing and able to have that discussion with them.
I hope many, many children will read this book and have these discussions with
adults. I know they will have access to it in many ways, including the public
library. However, a school library is different. I serve 800 students. The entire
collection is open to all the students. I wish I could, but I cannot be there for
each student when they need an adult to discuss this with. Some parents would also
prefer to be the ones the students have these conversations with. Some children do
not feel ready to read these words/have these conversations and feel very upset
when they come across an uncomfortable word. At public libraries, parents can help
children select books and be there for them when the opportunity and need for
discussion arises.
I haven't decided what to do yet, but do appreciate the opportunity to have this
discussion. I just wish there was some way to for all of us to understand each
others positions and thoughts fully before jumping to conclusions and criticizing.
Andrea Koch
kochandrea@msn.com
>
>Date: Sun, 18 Feb 2007 11:13:43 -0500
>From: Wendy Stoll <wendy40@AOL.COM>
>Subject: NY Times article.
>
>I have also sent this to the editors of the NYT.
>
>I must say, I rather resent this being cast as "librarians [pledging] to >ban the
>book...." There is no mention of the role of an elementary school >librarian.
>There is no mention of "serving our community." Especially as >I was quoted simply
>as saying I would not stock the book, I'd appreciate >some understanding of our
>situations.
>
>In the first place, my elementary school library exists to support the >curriculum
>of the school. That is its main purpose. Definitely, part of >that is fostering a
>love of reading, but in a library of only about10,000 >volumes, and an annual
>budget of $4000, it's hardly "censorship" to pick >and choose where that money is
>spent. Add to that, that out of 640 >students, all but about 90 are under ten
>years old, how much sense does it >make to spend $20 on a book that so few will
>read? And given the extremely >conservative nature of the families of my patrons,
>why on earth would I >seek to offend them?
>
>The fact that a book is a Newbery Award winner means that a group of >educated
>people has deemed the book worthy of an award. It does NOT mean >that it is the
>only fine example of children's literature published in the >last year. I have not
>stocked the last three Newbery Award winners because >they are not appropriate for
>the patrons of my library, NOT because I am >interested in banning books. Newbery
>Award status is only one criterion by >which to judge a book. In my opinion,
>purchasing a book because of a >single award is a lot sillier than banning a book
>because it is not >appropriate for one's patrons; in fact, I would consider it
>highly >irresponsible.
>
>Wendy Stoll, Librarian
>Smyrna Elementary School
>Louisville, KY
>Wendy40@aol.com
>________________________________________________________________________
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