Try canning the council! That is what is happening in West Bend, Wisconsin (Whelan, 2009). The four members were fired and the City-Council will not rescind the decision. The reasoning is that they were "taking too long" to make a decision for a reconsideration case; however, this was just a transparent political move to keep those qualified board members from voting to keep the books on the shelves. Now they are planning to vote in four new members. Are censors getting more clever, or what?
If the traditional reconsideration process doesn't work, the censors need to get political to force their hand. This is an interesting situation, because librarians, the library director, and the community are all in support of keeping these books on the shelves, but two people, backed by censorship associations, are fighting dirty. And for the good news ... their list of challenged materials is growing. 82 at last count. It makes me wonder what good it does to support IF and be good at my job, when small pond politics can circumvent it? Right now, the Library Director is expressing disappointment at the council, and this situation is just unfolding. It looks like it is going to get ugly.
If the Library Board is responsible for making the decision to not censor, why is the Board not made up of librarians and other advocates for IF? Or should I say, why are the advocates for Intellectual Freedom so easily removed? In the case of West Bend, the Board Members are appointed by the Mayor! (West Bend Library, 2009). There is a serious breakdown of trust here, and proves that professional ethics should be a requirement for anyone working for a library, not just the librarians. They should have to sign an agreement that states they understand the principles set out through ALA, and agree to uphold them. I've worked at a hospital for years, and what is interesting is that, no, I was not a doctor or nurse, but you can bet your buttons that I understood that I HAD to comply with confidentiality policies. If they are representing the library and the direction that library is headed, the board members should support the tenets of the profession. Instead they seem to be undermining it. Honestly, I don't know what it takes to become a part of a Board of Trustees in West Bend, Wisconsin, but they are still responsible for upholding ethical practices. This isn't Enron, people! It will be really interesting to see how this library saga plays out.
West Bend Community Memorial Library. (2009). West Bend Library Board Members. Retrieved from http://www.west-bendlibrary.org/board
Whelan, D.L. (2009). West Bend City Council fails to reinstate library board members. School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6659458.html
Not Goodbye, but See Ya Later
9 months ago
Cassie
ReplyDeleteHave to admit that your post is a bit depressing! I am addressing a similar issue in my discussion this week. What do we do if our hands are forced? In the discussion it is specifically about filters but your post has made it clear that it can go way beyond filters. It is actions such as these that make it so clear that we must fight for intellectual freedom and somehow help the general population understand how giving up some here and some there they can end up little bit by little bit giving up all of it.
Cassie,
ReplyDeleteI had mentioned this case in my first post and am outraged to hear that this is where it is going. If you are going to fire the board because they are taking too long, then why only fire a few members why not replace them all? When this is finally said and done, West-Bend will have to update their policy I think. My husband lives just outside of Milwaukee and when I was there this week I wanted to visit West-Bend and dare them to ask me to sign their petition, but we just never got around to with all the homework I had to do. I will be a sad day if 82 books have to be removed from a library's self because of shady dealing.
Cassie,
ReplyDeleteThat was really unbelievable that the Library Board is appointed by the Mayor. The American Library Association has a document on Conducting a Challenge Hearing. This document states that the reconsideration committee should be made up of a librarian as well as representatives of all library users. However, I don't remember how they suggested that they be selected. At least this committee is not the Library Board.
Roger Barnes
Man, how small is West Bend? Who is in charge over there? They shoudl bring in an unbias third party that is qualified to make an educated decision.
ReplyDeleteSuch a back door method somewhat reminds me of when the Kansas State Board of Education, in order to get intelligent design taught as science, (briefly) changed the definition of science itself!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/06/education/06evolution.html?ex=1273032000&en=216a34f472e087c6&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss