Maura McCarthy Bulman- Broward 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.
The importance of the media specialist in today’s schools cannot be overstated. The media center and the media specialist are the very hub of the school. Teachers rely on media specialists to help them with lesson preparation as well as the use of educational technology. Students rely on them to suggest the right book for them to read. Students also rely on them to teach them how to discern information from disinformation, how to determine credible sources, and how to navigate their way through a digital 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?
I would like every school to have a library advisory committee, made up of a cross section of teachers, parents and students (where appropriate). An advisory committee will help in both developing the media center's collection of books and other materials, and provide another layer of vetting to use against book challenges. An advisory committee will also provide a forum to allow for constructive conversations to take place.
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?
I think it is important to respect and defer to the expertise and experience of the media specialist. They are trained to build collections and know how to research reviews that will help in determining the appropriateness of books for different levels. They know how to augment classroom instruction as well as how to build a well-rounded library that serves all the students and their needs.
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.
This is why I would encourage each school to have a library advisory committee. Open discussions can often get to the heart of a challenge. Once the reason for a challenge is identified, it is easier to move forward to determine whether the challenge has merit. In many cases, this will advance the cause of best practices and freedom of expression by showing why it is so important to actually read the challenged materials and will highlight the professional capabilities of our media specialists.
The importance of the media specialist in today’s schools cannot be overstated. The media center and the media specialist are the very hub of the school. Teachers rely on media specialists to help them with lesson preparation as well as the use of educational technology. Students rely on them to suggest the right book for them to read. Students also rely on them to teach them how to discern information from disinformation, how to determine credible sources, and how to navigate their way through a digital 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?
I would like every school to have a library advisory committee, made up of a cross section of teachers, parents and students (where appropriate). An advisory committee will help in both developing the media center's collection of books and other materials, and provide another layer of vetting to use against book challenges. An advisory committee will also provide a forum to allow for constructive conversations to take place.
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?
I think it is important to respect and defer to the expertise and experience of the media specialist. They are trained to build collections and know how to research reviews that will help in determining the appropriateness of books for different levels. They know how to augment classroom instruction as well as how to build a well-rounded library that serves all the students and their needs.
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.
This is why I would encourage each school to have a library advisory committee. Open discussions can often get to the heart of a challenge. Once the reason for a challenge is identified, it is easier to move forward to determine whether the challenge has merit. In many cases, this will advance the cause of best practices and freedom of expression by showing why it is so important to actually read the challenged materials and will highlight the professional capabilities of our media specialists.