[OPLINLIST] FW: [FTRF-L:2429] ALA against proposed bill to federally mandate school librarypurchases

[Kent Oliver]

Folks, You will not believe this one.  Kent

Kent Oliver, Executive Director
Stark County District Library
715 Market Ave., N., Canton, OH 44702
W: 330 458 2710 FAX: 330 455 9596
KOliver@starklibrary.org
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."  Benjamin Franklin


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-ftrf-l@ala.org [mailto:owner-ftrf-l@ala.org] On Behalf Of
Jonathan Kelley
Sent: Wednesday, May 18, 2005 4:42 PM
To: Freedom to Read Foundation Board of Trustees
Subject: [FTRF-L:2429] ALA against proposed bill to federally mandate
school librarypurchases


American Library Association against proposed bill to federally mandate
school library purchases
http://www.ala.org/ala/pressreleases2005/may2005/schllibmandate.htm=20

(WASHINGTON)  The following is a statement from American Library
Association (ALA) President Carol Brey-Casiano:

"The American Library Association is deeply concerned about H.R. 2295,
which would deprive schools of much-needed funding unless the community
adopts a federally mandated review panel to judge books purchased for
classrooms and school libraries.

"According to the bill's sponsor, Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC), the
legislation is designed to restrict children's access to information by
establishing review boards that would recommend for or against the
acquisition of particular books and materials based on the panel's view
of "appropriateness."  This effort to limit access violates ALA's
long-held principles of intellectual freedom and parental involvement by
denying every parent the ability to choose what materials are
appropriate for their children according to their own family's values.
Instead, it empowers a small review board to decide for all families in
a community what materials will be available.

"This legislation is also unnecessary. Communities already elect parent
and community representatives to local school boards, and these boards
empower parents by providing ample opportunities to participate in their
children's education. This legislation is a solution in search of a
problem. There is no need for federal interference in a local
community's decisions about its education needs."



jkjkjkjkjkjkjkjkjkjkjkjkjkjkjkjkjkjkjkjk
Free People Read Freely (r)
Jonathan Kelley
Administrative Assistant
Freedom to Read Foundation
50 E. Huron St.
Chicago, IL  60611
(312) 280-4226/ fax (312) 280-4227
jokelley@ala.org