Thanks for this. I didn’t realize this was a thing (I’ll admit to living in the Chicago bubble) until I was at my in-laws house for Easter and they told me that they were part of a group headed to a school board meeting later in the week so the “books” committee could present. I’m so appalled that they are attending a school board meeting in an attempt to ban books (at least I assume) in a district that they don’t even have kids in (I like my in-laws ok but their politics are dreadful!!). Agree 100% on the banned books front. Commenting because you need another comment besides Richard!
Alan, this is such a good essay! Love how you weave in the history and provide meaningful perspective. Humans have done this so many times, this hatefulness, almost as if it’s a contagious virus. Does this kind of negative force collapse into itself? I know the best thing i can all do is stand up for creative expression, for inclusion, for pluralism. It’s how we survive.
Everyone believes in banning books for children. It's whose morals children are being indoctrinated in that the fight is all about. First admit that and we can move on from there. :-)
Alan, thank you. I often wonder if something new is waiting to emerge beyond the liberal/enlightenment structure of consciousness. In many ways, in my small corner of the universe, my cohorts seek to connect in community in a less defensive and more vulnerable and authentic way. I often wonder if this was what it felt like during the time before the renaissance? And for my part, I seek to meet these fascist trends with less anger and more dispassionately. They are life-denying but being rage filled doesn’t serve me.
Even though the article is obviously slanted—teachers can't teach if they have to scan the books they brought in for their students, OUTSIDE of the control of the school library—the basic procedure is factually presented:
1. Inventory exactly which books are available to students at various grade levels WITHIN the classroom
2. Submit inventory for content and age-appropriateness review
3. Allow parents of students to know and raise objections to material provided their children
What a cheap and sloppy hit piece. You should be ashamed to put your name to such dreck. I'm sure your "colleagues" will just lap it up—here's hoping they choke on it. Here's how a serious author deals with the subject: https://www.city-journal.org/article/the-transgender-childrens-crusade
Thanks for this. I didn’t realize this was a thing (I’ll admit to living in the Chicago bubble) until I was at my in-laws house for Easter and they told me that they were part of a group headed to a school board meeting later in the week so the “books” committee could present. I’m so appalled that they are attending a school board meeting in an attempt to ban books (at least I assume) in a district that they don’t even have kids in (I like my in-laws ok but their politics are dreadful!!). Agree 100% on the banned books front. Commenting because you need another comment besides Richard!
Alan, this is such a good essay! Love how you weave in the history and provide meaningful perspective. Humans have done this so many times, this hatefulness, almost as if it’s a contagious virus. Does this kind of negative force collapse into itself? I know the best thing i can all do is stand up for creative expression, for inclusion, for pluralism. It’s how we survive.
Everyone believes in banning books for children. It's whose morals children are being indoctrinated in that the fight is all about. First admit that and we can move on from there. :-)
Alan, thank you. I often wonder if something new is waiting to emerge beyond the liberal/enlightenment structure of consciousness. In many ways, in my small corner of the universe, my cohorts seek to connect in community in a less defensive and more vulnerable and authentic way. I often wonder if this was what it felt like during the time before the renaissance? And for my part, I seek to meet these fascist trends with less anger and more dispassionately. They are life-denying but being rage filled doesn’t serve me.
Here's where the rubber meets the road. https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/education/2023/04/24/how-florida-teachers-are-figuring-out-which-books-are-ok-to-teach/70146924007/
Even though the article is obviously slanted—teachers can't teach if they have to scan the books they brought in for their students, OUTSIDE of the control of the school library—the basic procedure is factually presented:
1. Inventory exactly which books are available to students at various grade levels WITHIN the classroom
2. Submit inventory for content and age-appropriateness review
3. Allow parents of students to know and raise objections to material provided their children
What a cheap and sloppy hit piece. You should be ashamed to put your name to such dreck. I'm sure your "colleagues" will just lap it up—here's hoping they choke on it. Here's how a serious author deals with the subject: https://www.city-journal.org/article/the-transgender-childrens-crusade