Not Goodbye, but See Ya Later
9 months ago
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
PABBIS
I just went to the PABBIS website, and was surprised that I found it really helpful. I know its intentions are to assist in help banning books, but the best defense is a good offense. I mean that it helps knowing EXACTLY what the person finds offensive, why, and how I can meet those arguments. The list of questions to ask about a book (is it age appropriate, does the book achieve educational objectives?) are also quite good. I can format my pro-argument in response to those criticisms. What I found rather ridiculous (even though it fits with their "mission") is having to affirm that I am eighteen to enter the site, just like alcohol websites. God forbid a teenager looks on the sight and gets ideas! I mean, (sarcasm)clicking a button that you are eighteen is really effective, so I am glad that they have that security measure in place(/sarcasm). OK, so obviously my bleeding-heart liberal self thinks the idea behind the site is wrong, but I am actually also really glad it is up, because forewarned is forearmed.
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Cassie,
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with you on how we, as librarians, can use PABBIS' content to help us develop a strategic plan for handling challenged books. The list of questions provided for parents to consider is equally important and significant for librarians...we must be able to answer the same questions when selecting and evaluating material for the library collection.
Fantastic summary and in-depth overview on this topic!
~Julie
Hi Cassie,
ReplyDeleteYou are really impressing me with your motivation. I hesitate to go to the PABBIS website being liberal myself, but now know I must since I will be arguing the con position for our reconsideration case. And as you mentioned in your other blog, intellectual freedom is supposed to work in both directions so that ALL points of view can be expressed. I am improving in trying to understand points of view that are very different from mine and the reconsideration case will help me improve on that even more. Thanks for your thoughtful comments.
Hi Cassie -
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way you do about this site. Parents can sometimes get out of control. maybe the site can help people decide to not ban a book, that it is really not as bad as they thought. Loved your comments.
Side note: thanks for following my blog!
I liked the part of the cite that gave excerpts from the books. If a parent didn't have time to read the book cover to cover, at least he/she would get an idea of the content. Then the parent would know what to discuss with the child. It would be better to read more of the book to get a better idea of the literary and educational value, but at least in a few minutes the parent would have a good idea of the issues involved.
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