School libraries, education for all, and the sheriff inspired readers of The New Bedford Light to comment and contribute recently.
Here’s a sampling:
Revamping literacy, with fewer school librarians
“Full disclosure; I was a school librarian for 40 years, thankfully not in a district with glib administrators who don’t answer the real question but deflect to unrelated comments. They should be running for office. I was especially surprised by the comments about E-readers for students. Does every student have one? What sort of money are students given to buy e-books? They are not usually free. In my experience, administrators most often have no clue what happens in a school library. In my school I saw as many as a thousand students a day. For some, it was the only safe place in the school where they could be themselves. It was a place to study, embrace new ideas, and socialize as well. I packed it in when an administrator who had probably never read a book, decided, without consulting me, that there were ‘Too many students using the library’ and restricted access. I think given this story, the Philistines have won. Miss Stocker and Miss Phillips (librarians at NBHS and Normandin back in the day) are spinning in their graves.”
— Robert W Geary
“More coverage of the literacy challenges facing our young people is needed, especially in the wake of the learning losses associated with the pandemic response and school closure. But would more librarians in primary and secondary schools solve that problem? You would never know one way or another from reading this piece. The ‘evidence’ linked to in the article includes an MLA brochure and an unpublished dissertation and doesn’t really support the author’s implicit argument that more librarians would increase student literacy. The superintendent is right that this piece suffers from narrow framing and selective reporting of evidence. It tells us nothing meaningful about the nature of the problem or what can be done to solve it.”
— Mike
“Wouldn’t this be a good space for students to do their homework? Or study in, maybe with study groups preparing for MCAS or other tests? My homeroom was in the library for awhile when I was at NBHS and I used to read books about U.S. presidents, just on my own because I liked to read. I like what the librarian said here about students reading about their hobbies. Reading is reading. It gets them interested. Students can browse in a library and find books that interest them. I’m afraid they are substituting cell phones for books. Or doing all their research on computers. There are pros and cons to that. I prefer they also have the help of a librarian in doing research for school papers.
“Also, I am really put off by the comments the school administrator made, as if he didn’t have to answer any questions from the news media. He said something about reading “appropriate” books, which makes it sound like he is afraid of criticism of the books the library may carry and would rather shut the library down totally. He needs to explain more what he’s talking about.
“Thanks for writing this. Would love to see it spur some intelligent dialogue.”
— Peggy Aulisio
“I remember when I went to NBHS. back in the late ’70s I would be at the school library almost every day, and that was all of the six, one in each house, and the two special resource ones. I was majoring in art, and I would read up on the great artist through history, looking at the pictures of their masterpieces and trying to figure out how they came to the conclusion of the finished piece. I learned a lot from using the school (and public) libraries. It helped me be a better artist. I still love going to the library at 64 years of age. I’m still learning.”
— John Smilowitz
“I commend Mr. Heroux’s work ethic and ability to listen to staff and inmates respectfully. The ‘system’ is gaining a new perspective about how to create successful inmate housing and living conditions. Assisting human beings to perhaps ‘unlearn’ bad behaviors, building them up to gain self-respect, confidence, and to foster positive actions through mentoring relationships is outstanding! If our nation only took a look at this ‘novel’ model! Thank you for your wonderful work, former mayor. Blessings to you!”
— Kathy Doyle
“I was delighted to read the story by Gerardo Beltrán Salinas about the new law that allows all high school graduates in Massachusetts, regardless of legal status, to be eligible for in-state tuition at both state universities and community colleges. For too long, these young people, despite how devoted to bettering themselves through education, were denied access to continue the pursuit of their dreams. The door was effectively slammed shut in their faces.
“Having spent my entire professional career, first as a classroom teacher, then as a school principal, serving a predominantly immigrant student population, I remember the anguish many of them experienced when learning that they could not access higher education because of their legal status. Those students had studied hard to earn top grades. Many of them did so while holding jobs and overcoming language and cultural barriers.
“Somebody finally figured out that everybody benefits from this opportunity, the students, their families, and our community.”
— Dawn Blake Souza
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