[aisle] Maus

[Joan Bessman Taylor]

Caution is fine but self-censorship is not. Caution may mean that you
provide some additional scaffolding for a book - opportunity to discuss it
for instance. Or you group it with other books covering the same topics in
a display so the student anticipates that it deals with heavy topics even
if it is a graphic novel. We have to resist the freezing effect that
censors count on creating. They win even if they don't get their way
through the official channels because they cause people to act in ways that
enable them to still get what they wanted all along. Please continue to
resist. Your students deserve full access to ideas.

I am super sorry to hear that administrations don't always have your back
as fully as they should. We have much room for advocacy and education about
the profession...

Thank you for your work,
Joan
Joan Bessman Taylor (she/her)

Associate Professor, MEd, MLIS, PhD

Program Coordinator - School Library Studies
Curriculum and Instruction

joan.taylor at uni.edu / 319-273-2192

SEC 611  /  Cedar Falls, IA 50614

<https://coe.uni.edu>


On Thu, Feb 3, 2022 at 1:00 PM Kristie Cerniglia via AISLE <
aisle at list.railslibraries.info> wrote:

> Honestly, I'm not a fan of censorship, but recently I was called out by a
> parent and didn't have the support I'm used to from admin.  Sadly, I now
> find myself being cautious where I wasn't before.
>
> On Thu, Feb 3, 2022 at 12:04 PM Toner, Timothy via AISLE <
> aisle at list.railslibraries.info> wrote:
>
>> Maus made me understand my father.  He was born in Cicero, IL in 1931. He
>> would scream at us if we dared to scrape anything from the serving bowl
>> into the garbage, even if it was only three peas.  He would never throw
>> away jars or plastic bags, and was at times completely incomprehensible.
>> Then, while reading Maus, I noted a similar moment between Art and his
>> father, and I realized, "They both grew up in the Great Depression!"
>> Suddenly all these little quirks made sense to me, and I was able to
>> anticipate things that might send him into a rage.  My father is currently
>> 90, and Maus transformed my relationship with him.  To ban it over language
>> and "mouse nudity" is highly problematic.
>>
>> tt
>>
>> Timothy Toner
>> Librarian
>> John Hancock College Prep HS
>> 5437 West 64th Pl
>> Chicago, IL 60638
>> 773-535-2410
>> he | him | his
>> *Omnes mundum facimus*
>>
>>
>> On Thu, Feb 3, 2022 at 11:53 AM Flaherty, Megan via AISLE <
>> aisle at list.railslibraries.info> wrote:
>>
>>> Yes, we have several copies. I don’t think it is any more graphic than
>>> any other book about the truths of the Holocaust. I read it in Language
>>> Arts in 6th grade and it made a big impact on me. Get this book in your
>>> students’ hands!
>>>
>>> Megan Flaherty
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *From:* AISLE <aisle-bounces at list.railslibraries.info> * On Behalf Of *Kristie
>>> Cerniglia via AISLE
>>> *Sent:* Thursday, February 3, 2022 11:46 AM
>>> *To:* AISLE-Share: Association of Illinois School Library Educators
>>> discussion list <aisle at list.railslibraries.info>
>>> *Cc:* Kristie Cerniglia <kcerniglia at district31.net>
>>> *Subject:* [aisle] Maus
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Hi!  Do any middle schools have Maus in your library?  A student
>>> requested it and I'm on the fence about buying it.  Thanks!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>>
>>> Mrs. Kristie Cerniglia
>>>
>>> kcerniglia at district31.net
>>>
>>> @kcernig1
>>>
>>> 847-313-4466
>>>
>>> LMC Director
>>>
>>> Field Middle School
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're
>>> right! - Henry Ford*
>>>
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>>
>> MAILMAN_MIMEDEFANG
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>
>
>
> --
> Mrs. Kristie Cerniglia
> kcerniglia at district31.net
> @kcernig1
> 847-313-4466
> LMC Director
> Field Middle School
>
> *If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're
> right! - Henry Ford*
> MAILMAN_MIMEDEFANG
> _______________________________________________
> AISLE mailing list
> AISLE at list.railslibraries.info
>
> For list archives and subscription options, visit:
> http://list.railslibraries.info/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aisle
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