If anyone wonders , yes the blogging computer is down. I had to swap secondary drives, and the last time I updated the computers I ruined my good newest windows 10 USB drive, so I had to use a very old one that caused its own problems and after several hours of installing I had to reset windows itself downloading it off the internet from Microsoft so I can complete the install. So here are some videos on Christmas day for everyone while I fix my blogging computer. Happy whatever holiday you celebrate today for everyone, my hope for you is you have the greatest fun, the tastiest food, and are with people you enjoy if that is your thing. Hugs
Republicans Want You To Snitch On Your Librarian
Scottie's Playtime 
Oh, Scottie, I hope you’ve enjoyed your day, too! Thank you, and here’s to a great new year.
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Hi Scottie and All;
Why are librarians being attacked and books being banned? (I’m trying to make a point and it’s not easy, so please be patient with me as I struggled with this as an open message) I looked this up on Google, and I am told that the reasons books are banned are as follows:
92.5% – sexual content
61.5% – offensive language
49% – unsuited to age group
26% – religious viewpoint
23.5% – LGBTQ (assuming no sexual content?)
19% – violence
16% – racism
12.5% – use of illegal substances
When I consider the greatest problems in the schools, some are somewhat rare and horribly traumatic while others are all too common and very debilitating. Chief among them are 1) funding – for human resources, educational resources and physical resources. 2) absenteeism – due to illness, poverty and family issues. 3) student enthusiasm and discipline. 4) Student health and safety. This is the one I’d like to highlight for the moment.
School violence has been on the rise the since 2015: In 2020 (most recent compiled information), students ages 12–18 experienced 285,400 victimizations at school and 380,900 victimizations away from school. Nonfatal criminal victimization (and if those aren’t three words from hell…) includes theft and violent victimization, the latter of which includes rape, sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and simple assault (https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2022/2022092.pdf).
When I consider the concern younger children face, I think on Uvalde and Sandy Hook. And, while young children may not be as aware of the violence and experience the social issues the older kids face, consider that we now have transparent book bags, backpacks with bullet proof liners, shooter drills and procedures on what to do if a school shooter is in the elementary school. We have armed cops in the hallways (really helped in Uvalde). This is their f’d- up reality now!
Now look at the above list and tell me where “violence” is in the reasons for banned books. Tell me what you are doing to address the real issues facing our children when you spend so much time, money, hot air on banning library books for sexual content?
Children, sad as it may be, are bombarded with sexualized images daily – even cartoon characters are drawn sexy. For some ages, it flies over their head or simply isn’t interesting yet. But, others are bothered by concepts that aren’t easily broached with those we would hope are able to help, and they need to know that they aren’t broken and horribly unworthy of life. Children have limited resources to answers: They can go to the internet, to their parents, their peers, or their library. Of those choices, think really hard and tell me which ones they are going to use.
If, and I’m going to really emphasize IF – someone is seeking an understanding of who they are, the best choice is a trusted adult, but trusted adults are rare. Second best is going to a library that encompasses a variety of perspectives without the extremes found in the internet and in which they may seek understanding in a safe space free of judgement by those MOST able to completely destroy their lives like violent, abusive and over-reactive adults or peers.
Children do not come in cookie-cutter standard formats. They are complex little beings that live 12+ years of their lives in a school format where they must navigate the structures of common education needs, social interactions, personal development and future goal development. These people who thump their chests in indignation of sexualized books and seek out cookie-cutter children at rock bottom prices are destroying these kids by robbing them of educational resources on some bent quest that they think is caring. Their “look at me” willingness to spend untold financial, physical and time resources to remove books on “sexuality” because they think that is harming the students occludes the fact that they see no problem voting against funding their schools, not helping their teachers, not working to attract the brightest teachers, not making their schools safe from violence, from bullies, not feeding and clothing them so they are warm and well so they can learn, not standing in the hallways giving out hugs and encouragement and support, not ensuring they have the confidence to know that they can surmount any challenge and that there is a safe harbor waiting for them at any time.
Let me say that again: You are evidently too stupid to realize that if you had made yourself a safe place for a child to turn to they would not go to the library. You are not focused on the vitality of their education. You are destroying these children in your selfish and myopic zealotry. Or was that your real intention?
Hugs to All.
randy
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Reading this in the morning I see it is a bit contrived and difficult (late night commenting after too many beer – what could go wrong?) But, the point bears argument and clarification if anyone is willing.
Hugs
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EXCELLENT words, Randy! Couldn’t agree more. It’s just extremely sad (and disgusting) that there are so many parents and school administrators and POLITICIANS who can’t see the forest for the trees and are so wrapped up in their personal biases that the kids and their needs are all but forgotten.
Again … GREAT comment! 👍👏👏👏❗
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Thank you, Nan. I had real difficulty in getting this to come out. I can’t tell you how glad I am that it resonated with you.
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https://www.comicsands.com/michigan-librarian-conservatives-closing-early-2659008770.html?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1672148420
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Librarian Unloads On Conservatives Who Yanked Funding, Then Complained About Library Closing Early
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