[ISLMA-Share] Middle School/Jr. High Explicit Content or Words Letter to Parents

[Email list for the Illinois School Library Media Association]

I do not send letters to parents. If you start that, you will need to read and police every book that’s in your collection and you will be surprised at the language that shows up in places. 

I do stick YA stickers on books that are reviewed as 14 and up just as a heads up, but any of our students can check them out.  I remind students every year that just like you can see a big difference in kids’ sizes in a middle school, we also have a wide variety of reading levels and emotional maturity levels.  Students will find some books that they had in their elementary schools, but we will also have books in our collection that could be found at the high school.  I tell them every year at both the middle school and the high school level, "If a book ever makes you feel uncomfortable, bring it back and check out something else.  What is not a good fit for you, might be a good fit for somebody else or you in the future.  Library books are optional free reading, not a requirement." 

I have found that students do a good job of policing themselves.

Jeanne Brucher
Teacher-Librarian
jbrucher at geneseoschools.org <mailto:jbrucher at geneseoschools.org>
Geneseo Middle School (309) 945-0524
Geneseo High School (309) 945-0316



> On Sep 1, 2017, at 10:09 AM, Email list for the Illinois School Library Media Association <islma at list.railslibraries.info> wrote:
> 
> Hello all, 
> 
> It is my first year in a middle school/jr. high school library setting. Does anyone have a letter that a teacher could send to parents about explicit content or word usage in particular books. 
> 
> Please share with me... I would love to see a few examples!
> 
> Thanks so much,
> 
> Lani
> Lincoln Hall Library/Media Specialist
> Lincolnwood, IL
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