Book-banning concerns

Editor,

In response to the March 10 article on Superintendent Taylor, and after attending School Board meetings in January, February, March – I feel I must express my concerns and stand up for intellectual freedom.

I am very concerned when community members talk of banning books, because increasing exposure to a variety of literature enhances learning success.

Parents may control what their own children read, but don’t have the right to restrict what books are available to other people.

The National Coalition against Censorship tells us that “Even books or materials that some find objectionable may have educational value, and the decision about what to use in the classroom should be based on professional judgements and standards, not individual preferences or influenced by political rhetoric.”

Research and data shows the value of enriching students’ lives with high quality literature, diverse literature, books that teach new ideas and books that help them grow and understand.

The Association of School Librarians has issued a statement on censorship that is going on in school libraries – “It is our responsibility to provide equitable access to diverse and inclusive material that is representative of social and racial justice and  pursue truth.”

We are fortunate that here in Worcester County we have highly qualified school librarians selecting and maintaining our libraries and book lists. They have policies and procedures to “insure best practices” for every book.

Our Worcester County School libraries and teachers are committed to upholding the highest standards in providing information and resources. We don’t ban books – we honor books.

Debra Fisher-Reynolds
Retired teacher
Ocean Pines