Selecting literature
Suggestions for handling the challenge of banned books in school libraries.
In my last column, I suggested that parents and teachers have a responsibility to vet the appropriateness of the materials that their children read, but that care must be taken not to judge a literary work on superficial moralistic grounds. An example of this moralistic impulse is the frequent banning of Mark Twain’s classic, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Because Huck Finn refers to Jim by the n-word, the book is often branded as racist and therefore inappropriate for school libraries. While it is true that Huck frequently uses the n-word to refer to Jim, he does so at a time when such reference to Black people was widespread practice. What Huck discovers on his rafting journey with Jim down the Mississippi River is that Jim is a kind and wise human being and that skin colour is irrelevant in judging human worth. As such, the moral center of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn is thoroughly anti-racist even though the n-word abounds.
Dealing with challenges
No matter how thoughtfully a school and its staff select reading resources, no matter how carefully they consult with community representatives, occasionally the inclusion of particular books or media resources will be challenged. It is far better for a school to have a proactive policy for meeting such challenges than to meet them with ad hoc reactions. All schools should have a Library Committee comprised of a teacher-librarian (if possible), two school community members at large, two classroom teachers and the principal. In all such cases, everyone involved should follow the general principles of dispute resolution as set forth in Matthew 18:15-20.
Suggested steps
Here are my suggested steps for handling a challenge. First, the complainant discusses the concern with the teacher or librarian informally. If the issue is not resolved, the complaint is made in writing to the Library Committee using a standard protocol (for inspiration, see the sample complaint).
With the written complaint in hand, the committee reviews the library’s philosophy and goals, and the curricular rationale for including the work in question in the library’s collection. The committee makes its recommendation to the school board. The school board makes a final decision. Until a final decision is made, no questioned material is removed from the library, either by the Library Committee or by the Board.
Request for Reconsideration of a Book
Complainant:________________________________________________
Please respond, in writing, to the following questions.
1. What specifically do you object to about this book?
2. Did you read the entire book? If not, what parts did you read?
3. What do you feel might be the impact of reading this book?
4. Is there anything that you judge as positive about this book?
5. For what age group, if any, would you recommend this book?
6. Are you aware of how literary critics have judged this book?
7. What do you believe is the theme or basic message of this book?
8. What would you like the school (library) to do with this book?
– Do not assign it to my child
– Withdraw it from all students as well as from my child
– Send it back to the Library Committee for re-evaluation
9. Is there another book that you would recommend that the library should acquire in place of this one?
Signed: __________________________________ Date: _______________________________
Adapted from: Evelyn Sterenberg and Sharon DeMoor, eds, 1991. Libraries in the ‘90s: A Handbook for Christian Schools (Appendix D). Edmonton, AB: Christian Schools International. District 11.
