Julie Magill- Hillsborough District 1
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.
I support the need for libraries in schools and a media specialist to be in charge of them. Choosing which books are appropriate and which are not should not be a job for one person. I believe a consensus should be taken among teachers and parents as to any objectionable material.
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?
Parents play a roll in educating their children as well as teachers. As long as we have no straight up pornography in the school libraries, if a child checks out a book a parent doesn't like then the parent simply returns the book to the library.
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?
Common sense would really be the key here. Again, no pornography or gender altering discussions, no sexual discussions other than health class should be happening in read alouds or novel studies in the classroom. Again, no pornography in the libraries.
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.
If you can't read it in front of the school board, then it doesnt belong in the classroom. If a reader is denied, then there is no need for a public review. That book doesn't belong in a classroom
I support the need for libraries in schools and a media specialist to be in charge of them. Choosing which books are appropriate and which are not should not be a job for one person. I believe a consensus should be taken among teachers and parents as to any objectionable material.
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?
Parents play a roll in educating their children as well as teachers. As long as we have no straight up pornography in the school libraries, if a child checks out a book a parent doesn't like then the parent simply returns the book to the library.
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?
Common sense would really be the key here. Again, no pornography or gender altering discussions, no sexual discussions other than health class should be happening in read alouds or novel studies in the classroom. Again, no pornography in the libraries.
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.
If you can't read it in front of the school board, then it doesnt belong in the classroom. If a reader is denied, then there is no need for a public review. That book doesn't belong in a classroom