FROM THE EDITOR
Book bans are about winning elections, not protecting children This op-ed was first published in the Austin American Statesman on March 27, 2022. YOUR SAY OVER YOUR CHILDREN’S EDUCATION AND ACCESS TO KNOWLEDGE IS UNDER ATTACK in Texas by politicians and other groups that want to ban books from libraries based on their own subjective opinions. The Texas Library Association believes that parents know what is best for their children and are capable of engaging in meaningful discussions with them about critical thinking and the books they are reading If you read between the lines, you can see what’s going on. This issue has been concocted to find a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist. Those in favor of banning books are less concerned about your children’s journey of knowledge and discovery and more worried about winning political votes. Your children are not being subjected to objectional material in Texas’ school libraries despite the protestations of those who have their own agenda. The right to an education is a cornerstone of our country and our democracy. Education helps children read and write, add and subtract, and learn about the world around them. Education helps children become productive adults who contribute to society. Books are critical vehicles for helping people learn to think for ourselves and explore the world around us. No book is right for everyone, but one book can make a difference in a child’s life. Children, in concert with their parents, should be able to read any books that are appropriate for them — not just books selected by politicians or people outside their family. School libraries are beacons of learning, yet students aren’t forced to read books from those libraries. Parents have the right to decide what their children read. But no one — not the governor or anyone else — has the right to make blanket decisions for all children about proper reading material. And in case you were wondering, processes are already in place to ensure no pornographic material makes it to library shelves around the state, from Del Rio to Dallas.
By Shirley Robinson This push to ban certain books is villainizing librarians and educators for simply doing their jobs. Threats of prosecution and being banned from working in schools have librarians and educators terrified not just for their jobs, but for their safety as this issue has been sensationalized. It also is negatively impacting under-represented and marginalized students. These students are being told, essentially, that their experiences are not acceptable, and others need to be protected from them. What message does that send to kids and society that you must act, be and love a certain way to be accepted? It has the potential to be incredibly damaging to mental health and a society that, at its core, wants to be good and kind to one another. The Texas Library Association won’t be silent while the rights of parents and students are chipped away under the guise of protecting kids. We refuse to go about our jobs as professional educators and librarians — dedicated to the advancement of knowledge —are targeted for criminal punishment just for doing their work. Do those wishing to ban books really want to protect kids or are they trying to “protect” us from learning about diverse views and life experiences? From learning about people who are different from us? From fully accepting others and not judging a book by its cover? On March 8, we launched Texans for the Right to Read to combat this ill-conceived movement to ban books. We urge parents, librarians, teachers, students, or anyone else who cares about reining in censorship to visit texansfortherighttoread. com and join us in fighting a one-size-fits-all, government-dictated approach to education and parenting in our state. Our children’s future hangs in the balance. Shirley Robinson, CAE, is the executive director of the Texas Library Association
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