The Election and Libraries

This is old news but I’m going to touch a bit on the election and its aftermath. We’ve heard from our district to remain neutral. I work in the same district in which my children attend schools. My seventh grade son’s math teacher is a staunch supporter of Trump and has made her opinions clear in the classroom. My son couldn’t understand how a seemingly level-headed person as his teacher could support Trump. Politics are complicated, my husband and I tried to explain. My older two boys are in high school and one of their teachers shared with the class that she wanted to cut off Trump’s testicles. Doesn’t sound very neutral to me. Teachers at my work, bringing their students in and out of the library, very vocally shared their opinions, not caring if students overheard or were influenced by what they say.

Some students have spoken with me directly about the election. I’ve tried to remain neutral. They shared about joining in on the women’s march in Los Angeles. One shared that his dad, an undocumented immigrant, is going to retire and move back to Mexico and he’s afraid he’ll never see him again. Others have shared about their families’ Republican values and a desperate need for change.

It’s difficult to remain neutral in such an emotionally charged climate, but I appreciate the librarians in Lynch’s article, and their attempts to do so. Carolyn Foote, from Austin, Texas, shares about the lunchtime civil discourse club she facilitated with a retired U.S. government teacher. She’s careful to not advocate for a particular stance because she wants to ensure that all students trust her to be a moderator. K.C. Boyd, from St. Louis, Illinois, shares that when students have questions, she directs them to sites with factual content, to empower and educate them. I can relate to Kellie Piekutowski, from Lake Villa, Illinois, who shares that the library is not the appropriate place for her to demonstrate her personal opinions: “Rather, we need to step away and make room for the students to come to their own conclusions with the help of the fair and balanced resources we offer to them.” She’s seen a clear alignment with some of the most outspoken librarians with the left side, as I’ve seen at my school and district, and wants to present herself and the library as a safe haven that will respect all opinions.

Lynch, G. H. 2017, Feb. 15. An inside look at librarians, schools, and the political climate. School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://www.slj.com/2017/02/schools/an-inside-look-at-librarians-schools-and-the-political-climate/#_

"Voices for the Library" image. Retrieved from https://relibraries.wikispaces.com/