Storybook about penguins banned in metro DC school system

[Neurotica]

Yes -- that's right. A fictionalized account of the true story of two male penguins who hatch a chick -- "And Tango Makes Three" -- has been removed from elementary school libraries in Loudoun County, Virginia.

ALA notes that this book was the most challenged book of 2006.

A parent at one elementary school complained that the book promoted a "gay agenda." A local committee reviewed the book and determined that it was appropriate and should stay in the library. The parent appealed and a district committee also determined that the book was just fine. However, the superintendent made a final, solo decision to restrict the book.

The school spokesperson says the content of this storybook may be "too mature" for some children. It's staying on the shelves in one middle school and two high schools (!). When was the last time you saw a teenager check a storybook (designed for readers ages 4-8) out of the library?!

Parents are quite upset about the situation and interest in the book has skyrocketed. There's a huge waiting list for the book at the local public library and the Amazon sales ranking has increased signifcantly over the past week (from the ten thousands to the two thousands).

Here's an article that will be published tomorrow in the Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/16/AR2008021600749.html?hpid=moreheadlines

[HowHasItComeToThis]

1. THE RIGHT HATES.....

LOVE

[NMMNG]

3. The RRRW simply hates.

:shrug:

[NMMNG]

2. The RRRW fundaloons are really going too far

But if all it takes for library systems to pull a book is some "concerned parents" to complain maybe Liberal parents could fight fire with fire. Lodge complaints about particular books the fundaloons seem to find really appealing and demand they be removed. If nothing else it will get some attention for the asinine nature of censorship and maybe get the libraries to stop taking these nonsense requests seriously.

[Neurotica]

4. The process definitely seems flawed

There's no way right now for community members to appeal the decision that was made.

In fact, there's no way right now for the community to know if other books are being restricted or removed in Loudoun school libraries.

If the WP hadn't blogged about this in the past week, no one would have known except for the complaining parent and the librarians who had to take the books off the shelves.

Fortunately, at least one school board member agrees that the process needs to be fixed. He has written something wonderful on his blog:

"Parents determine what is appropriate for their own children and how to guide their children as they learn and grow. The schools should not be an instrument of censorship for parents who want veto power over the judgment of other parents."

[NMMNG]

5. It's just so much BS

The RW spends so much time whining about the "Liberal Nanny State" but then they want the government to censor everything in the name of "morality". Some nut in TN has proposed a bill that would forbid even mentioning any sexual orientation other than heterosexuality in elementary or middle schools. They want to forbid same-sex unions of all kinds, censor any recognition of SS existence in literature for children, purify the airwaves and movies of anything sexual (but violence is A-OK), etc, etc. They seem to think that if TV and print media went back to "Leave it to Beaver" life would be like that imaginary world (which never really existed).

They're all whack.

[eppur_se_muova]

10. Nanny bad! Bluenosed governess good! nt

[Momgonepostal]

6. If it weren't the the lunatic fringe right, I would have never...

read this book. I heard about how controversial it was, so decided I'd have to read it myself, and you know what? It was a cute book, that could only anger the most uptight 1 percent of America.

Basically, it told the story of these two male penguins in the zoo, one of whom liked to sit on rocks like they were eggs. Another penguim layed two eggs, but would only care for one, so zoo keepers gave the extra egg to these male penguins, and they cared for it and warmed it like it was their own. The egg hatched, and the male penguins became it's parents. I guess fundies would rather the baby dies than have two male parents.

[Neurotica]

8. I can't wait to read it

I've ordered the book from Amazon since it's out of stock everywhere (wonder why?!).

My kids are excited to hear the story too.

We've talked a lot about censorship in the past week, something they're already acquainted with because of a related controversy several years ago.

I used this opportunity to pull up the ALA list of the 100 most challenged books (1990-2000). I shared some of the titles that they would know. So many of their favorites were on the list -- they couldn't believe it.

I also used this opportunity to talk about the fact that there are all kinds of families. This concept does not confuse or upset young people, in contrast to what extreme right groups say. Children understand that having a loving family is the most important thing, not how that family is structured.

My younger son wants to have a rally in support of "Tango!"

[kineneb]

9. sounds charming

And since male penguins often sit on the egg while Mom takes a break, so what? Did these parents look up penguin behavior at all? Shall we also note the penguins are in a zoo, which is not the wild, hmmm?
:banghead:

[provis99]

7. wanna bet

that these idiots who want this kids book banned, also want John Birch Society pamphlets available in the school libraries?

[hulklogan]

11. It has been stolen several times from my local public library n/t

[kevinbgoode]

12. OMG...I'm surprised families can still rent "Three Men and a Baby"

or "Three Men and a Little Lady"...or...are the fundies moving to ban reruns of Full House from the airwaves because it might be promoting "families" that aren't made up of overly made-up, big-dyed haired fundie ladies and their constantly black-suit wearing, scowling husbands?