Hi folks,
Yesterday, Jeff Hastings wrote
<http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/LM_NET/Current/msg00227.html>:
> Let me make it clear, though, that I'm saying that the scope [of Wikipedia] in
> a k-12 environment can be highly distracting to students and downright
> hazardous to your professional life. Personally, I work in a district where a
> "values" group recently took actions to attempt to convict teachers and school
> officials for "distributing pornography to minors" based upon their use of the
> book "Freedom writer's diary" in High School accelerated English. And most of
> us have now read about the felony conviction of a hapless substitute teacher
> who unwittingly "allowed" students to see pornographic images.
>
> In that sort of climate especially, Wikipedia's scope in areas like sexuality,
> vernacular, and pop-culture become problematic. Again, I'd hate to explain to
> an antagonistic group of fundamentalists how a student learned to perform
> fellatio by perusing an illustrated Wikipedia article while ostensibly doing a
> library research project--and there's no doubt that that scenario could happen
> in an instant. I think educators have to take a second to think about that.
OK, let's step back and think for a minute what might happen if we used the
views of every "antagonistic group of fundamentalists" to dictate our school
and library selection policy. You know it just ain't the naughty bits
they're worried about.
What about this subversive material?
"Current evolutionary theory holds that all species evolved from a single
form of life which lived more than 3 1/2 billion years ago ... Although
evolution is called a "theory," this term does not mean that evolutionary
biology is guesswork or is not supported by evidence. In science, a theory
is a set of ideas based on observations about nature that explains many
related facts. The theory of evolution is supported by evidence from many
scientific fields. When a theory is supported by so much evidence, it
becomes accepted as a scientific fact. Almost all scientists consider the
theory of evolution to be a scientific fact."
This radical information source? World Book Online. Jeff, I'll bet dollars
to doughnuts that you have parents who feel this violates their values and
ought to be tossed from your library as well. I hope you got some big
dumpsters!
My question is this: If we let the loudest, most politically and socially
radical members of our communities frighten us into abandoning our selection
principles, where does it stop?
And how do we get our technology folks to help us fight for intellectual
freedom instead of unilaterally making fear-based decisions? Does any
technology post-secondary program from which we draw candidates for these
positions address selection policies. developmental needs of kids, or
censorship issues? I doubt it. I get e-mails like this one from a Florida
librarian way too often:
> In my school district, the technology department, in all its infinite wisdom,
> blocks Wikipedia. They did this without asking one media specialist his/her
> expert opinion. ... The media specialists met as a group and talked to the
> head tech guy, and his answer was, it had to be done in "real time."
> Apparently there were too many students wondering how the human body works.
> It seems to me that might be why we have one of the highest rates of pregnant
> teens. I can't quite get them to see it my way. And so it goes.
The fight is real and it is important. And it requires courage and
strategy. It requires an alliance between librarians and technologists.
There. It's good to let off a little steam. Sorry for the rant.
All the best,
Doug
Doug Johnson
Director of Media and Technology
Mankato Area Public Schools
Box 8713, 1351 S Riverfront Dr.
Mankato MN 56001-8714
Phone: 507-387-7698 x 473
E-mail: dougj@doug-johnson.com
Web: www.doug-johnson.com
Blue Skunk Blog: http://doug-johnson.squarespace.com/
You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus. Mark
Twain
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