The teacher librarian must be prepared to address many controversial issues.
A parent wants me to remove a book she find offensive. What should I do?
A teacher wants me to record a television show. Is this legal?
How do I deal with censorship in my library media center?
These topics deal with common legal and ethical issues facing teacher librarians. School libraries are influenced by many laws and regulations. The decisions you make reflect your personal and professional perspectives and philosophies.
Investigate the following topics: Intellectual Property & Copyright and Intellectual Freedom.
What are your perspectives and philosophies?
Self-knowledge is critical to a library media professional. You need to know yourself and your bias. Your values can influence your decisions. Your personal stand on issues such as abortion, capital punishment, or drug abuse can have an impact on everything from the materials you select to the topics you use as examples.
Your personal preferences such as your love of picture books or poetry can affect your buying decisions.
Your political interests such as your views on the environment, war, or democracy may impact the collaborative activities you choose with teachers.
Your religious background such as your stand on stem cell research or perspective on history can impact your selection choices.
Your subject area strengths such as your dislike of math or science can impact the time your spend collaborating on projects with teachers in these areas.
Your educational philosophy such as your love of reading or belief in constructivism will impact your center program.
What topics trigger a reaction for you?
A "hot-button" issue is a topic that gets people talking, discussing, and sometimes yelling. Whether teachers are assigning projects on social issues or students are making choices about leisure reading, these "hot-button" topics often emerge. If you get uncomfortable when facing an issue, then you probably have a strong personal perspective. You need to be aware of those things that trigger this reaction. For some people, it's the Sports Illustrated swim suit issue. For others, it's the topics covered in Seventeen magazine. Or, your stand on gun control could impact your selection or lack of selection related to particular titles in this area.
In addition to "hot button" issues, you also need to consider your interests. If you don't have a particular interest in fantasy, humor, or romance, you may overlook good materials that might appeal to some young readers. For example, graphic novels are very popular with young adults, but may be something you've never experienced. You may not like hunting, but many of your students may be into deer hunting and fishing.
In some cases, you've probably developed bias based on very little evidence. For example, some people will say they don't like audio books. However it's possible they've never listened to one or didn't like the one they tried years ago. This is like saying you don't read because you found one book boring.
Check Your Understanding
Create a list of your "hot button" topics. What do you think triggers these reactions?
Make It Real
You've taken a new job in the mid-year. After a couple weeks on the job, a box arrives from Follett containing items purchased by the previous media specialist before leaving. As you open the box, some of the titles catch your eye.
Do you think your personal stance would have an impact on the way you'd handle the materials?
Discuss your initial reaction.
Select at least three and discuss why they drew your attention.
- Gay or alternative lifestyles
- Political viewpoints
- Stem cell research
- Evolution
- Angels in our world
- Fahrenheit 911
- Graphic novels
- Human sexuality
- The Koran
- Witchcraft and the Occult
- Crossing Over