'I am not upset. I'm enraged': Administration asked school librarian to take down banned books displ

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

display after one parent complained

A school librarian has gone viral on TikTok after claiming that her school’s administration asked her to take down a display on Banned Books Week at the request of a parent.

In a video with over 855,000 views, user Mia (@miarwilson3), a Texas-based librarian at a Belton ISD middle school, alleges that she was approached by her principal the day before school started. During this confrontation, he told her that she needed to take down a display that featured banned books in honor of Banned Books Week, held from Sept. 18 to 24.

Banned Books Week is an annual celebration of “the freedom to read,” which is honored by highlighting literature that has been frequently challenged. Banned Books Week is supported by numerous groups like the American Library Association (ALA), American Society of Journalists and Authors, Amnesty International USA, and others.

In response to this request, Mia informed the principal that she would not be taking the display down, as she serves “over 700 students, not one student alone.” Additionally, she informed the principal that celebrating Banned Books Week is in their ALA standards.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/i-am-not-upset-i-m-enraged-administration-asked-school-librarian-to-take-down-banned-books-display-after-one-parent-complained/ar-AA10Sz0M

[Brainfodder]

1. Now if parents call the school angry that the banned books display was taken down, now what?

[crickets]

2. 👆👆 Exactly.

More parents need to step up and support librarians. The contrarians may be loud, but odds are good they are completely outnumbered.

The principal tried to put the parent in touch with the librarian, but they did not want to communicate directly. They just wanted the principal to handle it. So, somebody cared enough to insist that the display should be removed, but didn't care enough to talk to the librarian about it personally. How convenient.

Good on librarian Mia Wilson for standing her ground and standing up for the rest of the students.

[PittBlue]

3. I was a high school librarian in SW PA...

Every year I would do a display of banned books in my library. That was back in the 90s and early 2000s. My administration was always very supportive and the local paper would post a picture of my display.
The area is trump country now so I doubt I would be supported at this time. Unfortunately my beautiful library was destroyed when they renovated the building and my 45,000 books were thrown into dumpsters. Thankfully I was retired when they did that or I would have chained myself to the doors. I get sick when I think about it.

[hibbing]

5. How were the checkouts for them?

Always notice the display at my local library.

Peace

[3catwoman3]

6. They threw away 45,000 books?

Threw away?

That is criminal.

[NullTuples]

8. It's not just that knowledge is power; controlling access to knowledge is power, too

[PittBlue]

12. When I was working there was initially a lot of Title I money for poor areas.

My district was so supportive of our beautiful library that I had a budget of $45000 per year. Many people in the community would also place memorial books in the library. We had an incredible collection. I get sick to my stomach when I think of what they did to that beautiful library.

[Tommymac]

4. For some reason this scene from Field of Dreams popped into my mind after reading this

She was not a librarian, but damn does Amy Madigan's character's speech sound relevant 30 years later or what?

[crickets]

7. Spot on. I love that movie. nt

[calimary]

9. ONE parent complained? For Pete's sake!

What if ONE parent complained about the censorship of these displays and why their child is getting a censored “education”?

Seems to me THAT complaint ought to carry the same weight as the single destructive one, ‘eh? After all, fair IS fair, isn’t it?

[Irish_Dem]

10. Destroying a country's literature is a way to destroy their culture.

It is what fascists do when they take over a country.

[leftyladyfrommo]

11. You don't want to mess with librarians. nt