[aisle] Addressing Problematic Authors

Claire Greene cgreene at northbrook28.net
Thu Sep 24 09:12:13 CDT 2020


Thank you all for your responses! For those who have expressed an interest,
I found this interview
<https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2017/08/reading-racism-in-dr-seuss/536625/>
very helpful in identifying some specific talking points and questions I
could use to encourage discussion of these important themes.

On Thu, Sep 24, 2020 at 9:06 AM Joanne Zienty via AISLE <
aisle at list.railslibraries.info> wrote:

> I think we also have opportunities to place writers (and others) within
> the historical context of their times. This can pave the way for very rich,
> deep discussions on how our society has changed (or not).
>
> Joanne
>
> On Thu, Sep 24, 2020 at 8:53 AM Nichole Folkman via AISLE <
> aisle at list.railslibraries.info> wrote:
>
>> I'm glad you bring this up. I do not have any specific resources to
>> offer, but I do think it's really important to show authors as humans who
>> have faults and are often problematic. Children are good at sitting with
>> difficulties like understanding that someone can be a great writer and a
>> bad person. Kate Messner has been talking about similar issues on her
>> Twitter lately.
>>
>> On Wed, Sep 23, 2020 at 4:21 PM John Heideman via AISLE <
>> aisle at list.railslibraries.info> wrote:
>>
>>> I don't think an author's lifestyle or political views should matter.
>>> The content of the book should matter.If we censure every author whose
>>> views or lifestyle we disagree with we won't have many books in our
>>> collection.
>>> Mr. Heideman ( Children's Librarian North Chicago Public Library)
>>>
>>> On Wed, Sep 23, 2020 at 3:49 PM Claire Greene via AISLE <
>>> aisle at list.railslibraries.info> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hi, everyone!
>>>>
>>>> I'm trying to develop a playbook for teachers in my school to use to
>>>> address content written by problematic authors.
>>>>
>>>> My number one priority is finding substantive and meaningful ways to
>>>> represent diverse perspectives in the curriculum, but my question is about
>>>> addressing the use of works by problematic authors that are already written
>>>> into the curriculum.
>>>>
>>>> Specifically, our 6th grade LA curriculum includes work by Roald Dahl,
>>>> who many of you will be aware was involved in propagating many disturbing
>>>> racist ideas. While the content itself is not problematic, I think it's
>>>> hugely important to address the issue of his character in a clear and
>>>> concrete way.
>>>>
>>>> Does anyone have any specific lessons or resources that they have
>>>> already piloted with students around this theme?
>>>>
>>>> I have already perused the sources below, but I wanted to reach out to
>>>> you all as well.
>>>>
>>>> PBS Tools for Anti-Racist Teaching
>>>> <https://www.pbs.org/education/blog/tools-for-anti-racist-teaching>
>>>> Teaching Tolerance Guide for Discussing Difficult Topics with Students
>>>> <http://www.tolerance.org/sites/default/files/general/TT%20Difficult%20Conversations%20web.pdf>
>>>> and all of the resources included in this epic EdWeek Blog:
>>>> 15 Classroom Resources for Discussing Racism, Policing, and Protest
>>>> <https://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teaching_now/2020/06/15_classroom_resources_for_discussing_racism_policing_and_protest.html>
>>>>
>>>> Thank you for your insights!
>>>> --
>>>> Claire Greene
>>>> School Librarian
>>>> Northbrook Junior High School
>>>> cgreene at northbrook28.net
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> *Empower Every Learner*
>>>>
>>>> MAILMAN_MIMEDEFANG
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>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Thanks!
>> Nichole Folkman
>> K-12 Librarian/ STEAM Director
>>
>> Co-chair of the Lincoln Teen Readers' Choice Award
>>
>> Scholastic Bowl Coach
>> Antler/ Staglite Advisor
>>
>> she/ her/ hers
>>
>> Check out my projects at
>> https://www.donorschoose.org/Mrs.Folkman
>>
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>
>
>
> --
> *Joanne Zienty, MLIS, NBCT*
> LMC Specialist
> Forest Elementary School
> CCSD62 - Des Plaines
> *Apple Teacher*
>
>
> *Latest Read:*
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> *Nonfiction: Caste: the origin of our discontent - Wilkerson*
> *Fiction: The Silent Patient - Michaelides*
>
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-- 
Claire Greene
School Librarian
Northbrook Junior High School
cgreene at northbrook28.net



*Empower Every Learner*
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