Mindy Koch- Palm Beach District 5
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.
It is vital that every school has a trained librarian/media specialist working in the library/media center. Librarians support classroom teachers and students when they teach reading, facilitate access to beneficial material and instruct teachers and students how to use technology, among other roles they play. Without a librarian in the library/media center, I and I imagine many others would be lost when trying to access information; most of us wouldn't even know where to begin.
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?
Each student should have access to all library materials. Then, it is up to the parent to decide whether the book is appropriate for their child, in my opinion.
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 are many books almost all children must read at one time or another during their education, however, I have found the books children prefer to read for pleasure are those they self-select. Parents are usually notified by the classroom teacher of the books their children will read in class but when they self-select books parents are not always aware of those books.
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.
I would always support a fair and public review of any book that is challenged and each district's objection policy should be followed.
It is vital that every school has a trained librarian/media specialist working in the library/media center. Librarians support classroom teachers and students when they teach reading, facilitate access to beneficial material and instruct teachers and students how to use technology, among other roles they play. Without a librarian in the library/media center, I and I imagine many others would be lost when trying to access information; most of us wouldn't even know where to begin.
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?
Each student should have access to all library materials. Then, it is up to the parent to decide whether the book is appropriate for their child, in my opinion.
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 are many books almost all children must read at one time or another during their education, however, I have found the books children prefer to read for pleasure are those they self-select. Parents are usually notified by the classroom teacher of the books their children will read in class but when they self-select books parents are not always aware of those books.
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.
I would always support a fair and public review of any book that is challenged and each district's objection policy should be followed.