Daniel Zeruto- Leon District 2
1. Please share your thoughts related to the importance of the school library/media center and the role of a certified, trained librarian/media specialist in schools.
For several compelling reasons, the school media center and librarian are invaluable assets within the educational framework. Firstly, they serve as gateways to a wealth of information, offering students and educators access to diverse resources, including books, digital databases, and multimedia materials. Librarians play a pivotal role in guiding users through these resources, ensuring they find accurate and pertinent information for their academic pursuits, thereby providing a reassuring support system. Moreover, the media center and librarian are pivotal in promoting literacy and fostering a love for reading. By curating collections that cater to various interests and reading levels based on age appropriateness, librarians inspire and motivate students to engage in intellectual growth and exploration. They collaborate closely with teachers to align resources with curriculum objectives, recommending materials that enhance classroom learning and support research projects. Additionally, librarians support teachers through professional development opportunities related to information literacy, technology integration, and educational trends. They collaborate with educators to enhance teaching practices and ensure students receive a comprehensive and enriching education. In summary, my experience with our school media center and librarian are essential components of a vibrant learning environment. She provides students with the resources, expertise, and support to explore, discover, and grow academically and personally, preparing then for success in a knowledge-driven world.
2. Florida school libraries/media centers have always supported parents' rights to direct their students' education. How would you balance parental rights and student access to library materials, especially given that some books trigger different reactions among parents, all of whom deserve rights?
It's concerning when inappropriate materials find their way into our schools. Parents should have confidence in the age-appropriateness of school materials. School library materials should be curated based on age appropriateness. Oversight and transparency are crucial in ensuring appropriate educational content. While we shouldn't remove books based solely on disagreement of specific topics, ensuring age-appropriate and lawful content is essential. The district needs to be transparent about which books are removed and why, accompanied by clear guidelines to prevent such occurrences in the future. Inclusivity should extend to accommodating families with diverse beliefs, allowing them to manage their child's exposure to specific topics through a library profile system since a parent is not next to their child in the classroom or media center. If we have restrictions on what students can access with school laptops, computers, and WiFi connections, the same standards should apply to school multimedia and library materials.
3. Students have access to reading material through captive classroom instruction, read-alouds and novel studies, as well as through self-selection in libraries where they choose their own book. How would you differentiate between the appropriateness of reading material in a captive classroom vs. self-selection in the school library?
There should not be a difference in the appropriateness or lawfulness of the reading material available to students either in the captive classroom or school library.
4. As written in Florida House Bill 1069, “Parents shall have the right to read passages from any material that is subject to an objection. If the school board denies a parent the right to read passages due to content" deemed unsuitable as defined in the bill, the school district must discontinue use of the material. If a reader is denied, explain why you would interpret the law by supporting or opposing a fair and public review of the book, as outlined in each district's objection policy.
Each school district must follow the law regardless of the district's objection policy.
For several compelling reasons, the school media center and librarian are invaluable assets within the educational framework. Firstly, they serve as gateways to a wealth of information, offering students and educators access to diverse resources, including books, digital databases, and multimedia materials. Librarians play a pivotal role in guiding users through these resources, ensuring they find accurate and pertinent information for their academic pursuits, thereby providing a reassuring support system. Moreover, the media center and librarian are pivotal in promoting literacy and fostering a love for reading. By curating collections that cater to various interests and reading levels based on age appropriateness, librarians inspire and motivate students to engage in intellectual growth and exploration. They collaborate closely with teachers to align resources with curriculum objectives, recommending materials that enhance classroom learning and support research projects. Additionally, librarians support teachers through professional development opportunities related to information literacy, technology integration, and educational trends. They collaborate with educators to enhance teaching practices and ensure students receive a comprehensive and enriching education. In summary, my experience with our school media center and librarian are essential components of a vibrant learning environment. She provides students with the resources, expertise, and support to explore, discover, and grow academically and personally, preparing then for success in a knowledge-driven world.
2. Florida school libraries/media centers have always supported parents' rights to direct their students' education. How would you balance parental rights and student access to library materials, especially given that some books trigger different reactions among parents, all of whom deserve rights?
It's concerning when inappropriate materials find their way into our schools. Parents should have confidence in the age-appropriateness of school materials. School library materials should be curated based on age appropriateness. Oversight and transparency are crucial in ensuring appropriate educational content. While we shouldn't remove books based solely on disagreement of specific topics, ensuring age-appropriate and lawful content is essential. The district needs to be transparent about which books are removed and why, accompanied by clear guidelines to prevent such occurrences in the future. Inclusivity should extend to accommodating families with diverse beliefs, allowing them to manage their child's exposure to specific topics through a library profile system since a parent is not next to their child in the classroom or media center. If we have restrictions on what students can access with school laptops, computers, and WiFi connections, the same standards should apply to school multimedia and library materials.
3. Students have access to reading material through captive classroom instruction, read-alouds and novel studies, as well as through self-selection in libraries where they choose their own book. How would you differentiate between the appropriateness of reading material in a captive classroom vs. self-selection in the school library?
There should not be a difference in the appropriateness or lawfulness of the reading material available to students either in the captive classroom or school library.
4. As written in Florida House Bill 1069, “Parents shall have the right to read passages from any material that is subject to an objection. If the school board denies a parent the right to read passages due to content" deemed unsuitable as defined in the bill, the school district must discontinue use of the material. If a reader is denied, explain why you would interpret the law by supporting or opposing a fair and public review of the book, as outlined in each district's objection policy.
Each school district must follow the law regardless of the district's objection policy.