Victoria Smith- Citrus 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.
As a teacher of 25 years in Florida, I've been not only blessed to work with certified media specialists but also, as the former president of the Citrus County Education Association, to have represented them as well. Their experience in overseeing the proper use of all the assets, from literature to key tools used by educators, is but a small part of their job. Key, I think, to their job is the facilitation of all classroom instruction, not just English Language Arts, but as an example Art and Science. As a Geometry teacher, I have found them to be a true asset.
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 have been a participant in working on issues like parental rights and education. My work on this started in late 2010, where I worked with our state leaders, and it only grew when I became the representative for our Certified Media Specialists as the Citrus County Education Association president. Helping to provide staff inputs on this very issue at the highest levels of the state. Parents have the right to determine what is appropriate for their children's needs, but more often than not, they are unaware of the vast amount of information available or the content and context. What I have found is that communication with parents and Certified Media Specialists is what is most important to ensure there is no misunderstanding. That becomes a higher priority as the state also has a say in this issue, changing laws that often weigh in favor of parents' concerns over those of the professionals. In the end, as an elected official, I will help facilitate these conversations to ensure our professionals and parents work in the most collaborative manner possible.
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?
The key to differentiating between captive classrooms and self-selection is understanding state statutes, parental concerns, and the use of professional learning to understand the current and changing social standards. After taking all those into consideration, I would base my answer on two parts. First, is it age-appropriate? Second, will it help with the developmental needs of the student? The primary aspect is age-appropriate material in self-selection and developmental needs for captive classrooms.
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.
Any parent should have the 1st Amendment right to read from any material that is within the Citrus County School system during an open-to-the-public portion of an open board. If the material that is being read is objectionable to myself or others, I would respectfully ask the parent to pause. I would then have the online feed paused and the meeting cleared of any students and then continue. This would respect the 1st Amendment right and adhere to the law. Following that, the Board should guide the Superintendent to either conduct a fair and public review or address the parent regarding their lack of concern.
As a teacher of 25 years in Florida, I've been not only blessed to work with certified media specialists but also, as the former president of the Citrus County Education Association, to have represented them as well. Their experience in overseeing the proper use of all the assets, from literature to key tools used by educators, is but a small part of their job. Key, I think, to their job is the facilitation of all classroom instruction, not just English Language Arts, but as an example Art and Science. As a Geometry teacher, I have found them to be a true asset.
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 have been a participant in working on issues like parental rights and education. My work on this started in late 2010, where I worked with our state leaders, and it only grew when I became the representative for our Certified Media Specialists as the Citrus County Education Association president. Helping to provide staff inputs on this very issue at the highest levels of the state. Parents have the right to determine what is appropriate for their children's needs, but more often than not, they are unaware of the vast amount of information available or the content and context. What I have found is that communication with parents and Certified Media Specialists is what is most important to ensure there is no misunderstanding. That becomes a higher priority as the state also has a say in this issue, changing laws that often weigh in favor of parents' concerns over those of the professionals. In the end, as an elected official, I will help facilitate these conversations to ensure our professionals and parents work in the most collaborative manner possible.
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?
The key to differentiating between captive classrooms and self-selection is understanding state statutes, parental concerns, and the use of professional learning to understand the current and changing social standards. After taking all those into consideration, I would base my answer on two parts. First, is it age-appropriate? Second, will it help with the developmental needs of the student? The primary aspect is age-appropriate material in self-selection and developmental needs for captive classrooms.
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.
Any parent should have the 1st Amendment right to read from any material that is within the Citrus County School system during an open-to-the-public portion of an open board. If the material that is being read is objectionable to myself or others, I would respectfully ask the parent to pause. I would then have the online feed paused and the meeting cleared of any students and then continue. This would respect the 1st Amendment right and adhere to the law. Following that, the Board should guide the Superintendent to either conduct a fair and public review or address the parent regarding their lack of concern.