I was flipping through a planner geared to teachers during lunch today. It was the one I was going to use when I was hired to teach pre-K. On the calendar for September 27 to October 4th was "Banned Books Week".
Huh. What is that?? So I looked it up. I got quite a read. From the American Library Association:
Celebrating the Freedom to Read is observed during the last week of September each year. Observed since 1982, this annual ALA event reminds Americans not to take this precious democratic freedom for granted. This year, 2008, marks BBW's 27th anniversary (September 27 through October 4).
BBW celebrates the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one’s opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them. After all, intellectual freedom can exist only where these two essential conditions are met.
So then I decided to see what books they were promoting. Instead of listing them, here's a link just for you -
http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/challengedbanned/frequentlychallengedbooks.cfm
I am praying the schools here DON'T encourage Banned Books Week. I'm sure my name is already on their "Pain in the Butt" list - of which I am proud. Complacency is an ongoing theme in our country. It's time we stood up for what is right.
You might want to make sure your school isn't participating. Remember - this was on a teacher planner for PRESCHOOL teachers!
Leslie
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1 comment:
Amen sistah! You start the revolution, I'm right behind you. :)
I'm with Whitney. She said she told the librarians once that there should be a rating system on books so people knew what they were getting into. The librarian... didn't agree.
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