Other than the issue of Intellectual Freedom, there is the issue of
insubbordination. Can one actually refuse to meet with the principal on any issue?
I know under NYS's Tenure laws, one can be fired for insubbordination or
immorality. I would have advised Richie to meet with the principal - with a copy of
the book - and engage in a discussion of its themes. Perhaps a folder of reviews,
the ALA Bill of Rights, and other pertinent information could have been used.If we
put ourselves in the principal's shoes - how would we have handled it?AllanDr.
Allan O'Grady Cuseo, MGCDirector of Library ServicesBishop Kearney High School | A
Golisano Education Partner125 Kings Highway SouthRochester, New York
14617585.342.4000 x231585.342.4694 (fax)www.bkhs.orgCollege Prep.
Plus.-----Original Message-----From: "Anne Berkey" [anneb@AUG.COM]Date: 11/22/2007
11:48 AMTo: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDUSubject: Re: [LM_NET] Richie Partington Fired
From middle-school-lit listserv:
Richie fired over book banning controversy
Posted by: "BudNotBuddy@aol.com" BudNotBuddy@aol.com peter_lake_2000
Wed Nov 21, 2007 9:57 pm (PST)
Sebastopol librarian Richie Partington was fired from his library
consultant's position with the Bellevue Union School District in
Santa Rosa California
a day after refusing to meet with a principal who had banned Rodman
Philbrick's The Last Book in the Universe from his school's library
without having
read it.
"I politely but firmly made it clear to the District Superintendent that
until the principal actually read the book he had banned, I didn't
see how we
could have a conversation about the book.
Partington had twice read the first chapter of the book aloud to
sixth grade
classes at the District's Kawana School the previous week and "had
more than
a dozen students begging to read it." When Partington arrived at the
school
on the following Monday morning with four copies of the book, he was
informed by the school's library clerk (who also has never read the
book) that she
didn't want the book in the library because it has to do with gangs
and that
she'd gotten the principal to forbid its addition to the collection.
Noting in an email to the Superintendent that "the bigger issue here
is one
of arbitrariness due to a lack of a District collection development
policy
and District reconsideration policy," Partington immediately drafted and
emailed a proposal for a reconsideration policy to the Superintendent
who responded
the same day by mailing out the termination letter.
The termination is effective immediately.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks _http://richiespicks.com_ (http://richiespicks.com/)
Moderator, _http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_school_lit/_
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_school_lit/)
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
_http://www.myspace.com/richiespicks_ (http://www.myspace.com/
richiespicks)
Caldecott '09
I'm sure Richie could use some good thoughts sent his way.
Anne Berkey, MEd, MLS, NBCT
Media Specialist
Gamble Rogers Middle School
St. Augustine, Florida
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law.
You can prevent most e-mail filters from deleting LM_NET postings
by adding LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU to your e-mail address book.
To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu
In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL
3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation.
* LM_NET Help & Information: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/
* LM_NET Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/
* EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://lm-net.info/
* LM_NET Supporters: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html
* LM_NET Wiki: http://lmnet.wikispaces.com/
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law.
You can prevent most e-mail filters from deleting LM_NET postings
by adding LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU to your e-mail address book.
To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu
In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL
3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation.
* LM_NET Help & Information: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/
* LM_NET Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/
* EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://lm-net.info/
* LM_NET Supporters: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html
* LM_NET Wiki: http://lmnet.wikispaces.com/
--------------------------------------------------------------------
LM_NET
Mailing List Home