This week’s musing asks…
The local Catholic school board is closing its school libraries, and parents and teachers –and even the students– are in an uproar. Budget cuts demanded that the board choose something to get rid of… they choose libraries. As such, many librarians have lost their jobs. And, the board is moving the books to the classrooms, instead. They feel that it is a good solution.
What do you think? Should the schools be without an actual “library” room? Is this a good solution?
I think the whole thing is preposterous. Cutting a library in a school is never a good idea, but I get very nervous when it happens in a religious school. It is no secret that the Catholics (among many religions) have always liked the idea of book banning, and have done it quite often in the past, so this seems like just another step in that direction. I'm sure there are other things they could cut from the budget without having to touch the library. As someone who actually went to Catholic school for six years, and who found those years the worst experiences I've had, I have little sympathy for their choices.
It is shameful.
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5 comments:
A lot of things you say are true, but being a catholic school or not, doesn't really matter.
They shouldn't cut the libraries!
I agree, i am a catholic but i think what a small majority do give the rest of us a bad name just like muslims,
Taking a library away from a school is like taking a fish out of water,
Thanks for stopping by,
The Book Mystress, xx
ok, I knew this question was going to bring out some Catholic bashing, surprise, surprise.
In many urban area, the local Catholic school (and I am a product of an urban Catholic school)is the safest, best alternative. And money is always a big issue. Can parents pay more, can teachers be paid less? Remember, they are not getting taxes, the parents and the parish pay for the school. If not those things, then terrible choices have to be made sometimes...sad but true.
My intention was not to bash the Catholic religion as a whole, just some of their questionable choices. I actually went to school for six years in a private catholic institution, and it was probably the worst years of my life. I am just speaking from my own personal experience, a very, very bad one.
...and my 12 years were some of my best.
A great education, in a safe environment, a haven from the violence and terrible education available in public schools in the city I grew up in. Just look at the national test scores of Catholic vs. public school in virtually any US city. And without taxpayer money!
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