A huge thank you to the Mount Vernon Community School District and Washington Elementary for the review process that was recently undertaken when three books were challenged.
As outlined by superintendent Greg Batenhorst, the review process called on multiple community members to hear why the books should be allowed or removed from the library, with one of the challengers having a chance to outline their issues with the material and a school employee outlining why the material was selected and what lessons the books were helping to teach. Those committee members then communicated their thoughts to Washington Elementary principal Kate Stanton on why or why not the books should be allowed.
Both Stanton and Batenhorst then did their own reviews of the material and reports for actions.
As Batenhorst said, “it is important that all students can see and hear themselves in the materials we use to teach a myriad of lessons and topics. This is true for a kindergarten student learning about kindness, or a high school student learning about civil rights.”
Learning always provides us opportunities to get different perspectives, and having curriculum that is not from the same culture or viewpoint as our own opens our eyes to different life experiences. Some of the works we encounter at any age level may challenge things we thought we knew, and wrestling with the themes or lessons is part of that learning process. Trusting that our librarians and schools choose curriculum that helps us to grow or encounter differing viewpoints is something we should all appreciate. No one wants students who exist in echo chambers.
Trusting that the teachers and professionals in our schools and libraries are evaluating and critically considering any material they add to their shelves was one of the things that Batenhorst also communicated was part of his review process, and when it came to that point, he knew his staff was providing lessons that would help students in this district grow as people.
Having action plans, especially reviewing curriculum choices on a yearly basis or listening for other materials that may teach the same lessons, is part of that important curation that librarians and gatekeepers of information like teachers do in our community.
Challenges of books and materials are not new. It’s been something that libraries deal with on a routine basis. This review process shows the thought and careful consideration the district has had when it has come to answering these challenges, and is one we commend.