I received this earlier in the week:
*Victory: Scholastic Reverses Decision to Exclude Gay Friendly Book from
Fairs *
Hey everyone,
This is Mike Jones, Editor of the Gay Rights blog on Change.org, writing
with great news.
Scholastic Books just responded to the petition you all signed on Change.org
criticizing the company for excluding a book from their popular books fairs
simply because one of the characters had two lesbian mothers. I'm happy to
say that because of the collective strength of the 4,000 people who signed
the petition, Scholastic has reversed their decision to exclude the
book<http://gayrights.change.org/blog/view/scholastic_reverses_decision_to_exclude_gay_friendly_book_from_fairs>–
Lauren Myracle's Luv Ya Bunches – and has released a statement
affirming
the dignity of gay and lesbian parents.
This is a great victory achieved in 48 hours, and it was only possible
because of all of you who signed, advocated for, and spread the petition.
Scholastic Books is one of the largest educational publishing outfits in the
country, and this sends a clear message to children and parents everywhere
that there's absolutely nothing wrong with two men or two women raising a
child.
While Scholastic Books hasn't directly apologized for originally excluding
Luv Ya Bunches, which they blocked in part because the author refused
Scholastic's request that she include a heterosexual couple in the story,
their statement today ensures that Luv Ya Bunches and other books with same
sex parents as characters will be available at future book fairs. Moreover,
the company has taken steps to avoid this issue in the future by committing
"to a review process that considers all books equally regardless of their
inclusion of LGBT characters and same sex parents."
Finally, the company publicly recognized that LGBT families and parents are
a part of reality and shouldn't be hidden from kids, saying that "Scholastic
editors recognize Milla's two moms as a positive and realistic aspect of the
story."
As Lauren Myracle herself said at the height of this controversy, "Over
200,000 kids in America are raised by same-sex parents... It's not an issue
to clean up or hide away." That's the message you all sent by signing this
petition, and Scholastic Books heard you loud and clear.
Thanks for your support, and congratulations on yet another Change.org
victory!
Mike
p.s. here's the announcement of the victory on the site now:
http://gayrights.change.org/blog/view/scholastic_reverses_decision_to_exclude_gay_friendly_book_from_fairs
On Thu, Oct 29, 2009 at 4:49 PM, rocco <rstaino@vzw.blackberry.net> wrote:
> The most recent SLJ story on the issue
>
> http://bit.ly/3VutAq
>
> Rocco Staino
> Contributing Editor
> School Library Journal
> Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: "Giffard, Sue" <SGiffard@ECFS.ORG>
> Date: Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:35:04
> To: <LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
> Subject: Re: SHARE: Scholastic fairs not same-sex parent friendly?
>
> Someone on the childlit listserv just pointed out, correctly, that
> Scholastic's statement says that they are going to carry this title in their
> MIDDLE SCHOOL book fairs. The reading level showing up on Amazon is 9-12
> years: it seems clear that this is an elementary school book.
>
> Here's a quote from Scholastic take from their website:
> "Having completed our review of Luv Ya Bunches, Scholastic Book Fairs will
> carry the title in our spring fairs for middle school."
>
>
>http://onourmindsatscholastic.blogspot.com/2009/10/news-regarding-lauren-myracles-luv-ya.html
>
> Sue Giffard
> Ethical Culture School
> New York, NY 10023
> sgiffard@ecfs.org
> (212)712-6292
>
> "Perhaps the only victory available [is] the victory of the heart over its
> own inclinations for despair, revenge and hatred." (Leonard Cohen, September
> 24, 2009)
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: School Library Media & Network Communications on behalf of Cindy
> Wagner
> Sent: Thu 10/29/2009 1:11 PM
> To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
> Subject: SHARE: Scholastic fairs not same-sex parent friendly?
>
> My headmaster just sent me this article. Read through till the end to
> see Scholastic's response. Anyone know if they carry "and Tango makes
> three" in their fairs?
>
> Ironically, my most dedicated book fair volunteers year after year are
> a set of same sex parents!
>
>
>
>http://www.care2.com/causes/civil-rights/blog/Scholastic-Will-Luv-Ya-Bunches-Except-if-You-are-a-Gay-Parent/
>
>
> Cindy Wagner
> K-12 Librarian
> Assets School
> Honolulu, HI
>
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--
Teresa Schauer
District Librarian/Pettus ISD
Pettus, Texas
tschauer@pettusisd.esc2.net
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