Teachers defend book selections

Two local school teachers defended books that some parents want banned in the Shelton School District.

During board meetings this summer, some parents and guardians complained about 10 of the 150 literature books for grades seven through 12 that were recommended by the district’s Instructional Materials Committee and then approved by the school board June 27.

At the board’s Aug. 22 regular meeting, three people pointed out the educational and social value of the books in question, while three said they were opposed to the curriculum.

Jessica Roberson, a lifelong Shelton resident and a biomedical science teacher at Shelton High School, has two teenagers.

“I’ve been a reader since I was big enough to hold books,” she said. “As a kid, I read everything I could get my hands on. To quote the author Judy Blume, ‘My mother worried about everything, but she never worried about what I was reading.’ Well, my mother never worried about what I was reading either. I think she was happy that I just liked books as a kid. I fed my mind a steady diet of true crime books written by Seattle author Ann Rule. I’m happy to report that in my life I have never killed a single person.

“But what I learned is there is evil in the world, and to lock my doors at night. These crime books also included depictions of sex. Reading about sex did not corrupt my mind, or lead me into promiscuity, and it certainly did not prime me for sexual trafficking. In fact, it did the opposite — it taught me how to protect myself from it.”

Roberson said her book club collectively read the eight books called to attention at the previous school board meeting. She read “I’ll Give You the Sun,” which included mentions of homosexuality, rape, suicide ideation and underage drinking.

“These things were all small parts that supported the story, but were not the story itself,” Roberson said. “The theme of this book being the evolution of a teenage brother and sister’s relationship as they navigated the early death of a parent. I would have no problem at all with my two kids reading it. Most books, including the classics and even the holy Bible, contain sentences that can be isolated from their context and delivered for shock value. But selecting a salacious line to represent an entire book is not only inaccurate but is deceitful.”

She concluded, “Reading is powerful. But not powerful enough to transform a person into something they are not. What reading does have the power to do, though, is foster creativity and imagination, gives mastery of the English language, and teach appreciation and respect for the world around us.”

Lonnie Rickard told the board she was representing a “diverse group” of local women who read the eight books “that were called out as inappropriate.”

“What we found is that they delve into important topics that resonate with today’s youth, fostering empathy, critical thinking and a broader understanding of today’s world. ‘Looking for Alaska’ and ‘Eleanor & Park’ explore the complexities of adolescent relationships and the challenges of self-discovery,” Rickard said, “ ‘I’ll Give You the Sun’ delves into the themes of identity and family dynamics, while ‘The Hate You Give’ addresses racial injustice and activism, encouraging students into engaging in conservations about social change. ‘The 57 Bus’ provides insight into empathy, understanding and the consequences of impulse actions. ‘Last Night at the Telegraph’ is like a love story, and sensitively portrays LGBTQ experiences, and ‘A Brave New World’ serves as a thought-provoking exploration of ethical dilemmas in a dystopian society. In reviewing all of these books, what we realize is their content is no different than what is currently available on television, the internet, movies, social media or video games. Using selective excerpts to dismiss the inclusion of these books ignores the broader context and educational value that they offer. We should be encouraging students to explore diverse viewpoints and confront uncomfortable subjects. These books represent a choice, a choice for students and parents to engage in literature that reflects the complexities of our society and encourages thoughtful discussion, recognizing that every student’s educational journey is unique. Providing a diverse array of books allows each individual to find solace with narratives that resonate with their own experiences and interests. I encourage the opposition to read these books and consider the broader implications of simply banning them.”

Jenna Stewart teaches high school math in the district and has three children who attend schools in the district.

“I’m here to push back against the vocal minority trying to ban books that my kids’ teachers and co-workers have found age- and content appropriate,” she said.

“They would never add in books they have not read,” Stewart said. “The teachers are not endorsing the content, they are challenging their students to broaden their soon-to-be adult perspective.”

The district has literacy circles where students can choose books that interest them, “and more importantly, students can select books that align with their values,” Stewart said.

Stewart said her most successful students have parents who talk to their children about what they’re reading. She said she talks to her children about sexual topics that come up in their books.

“I also talk to my own kids about racially charged content and teaching them what is appropriate, what is not appropriate, and that context matters in many situations,” she said. “School curriculum is an important tool in these conversations, and as a parent I do not want a few people with no experience in literacy dictate what my children can and cannot read.”

Stewart concluded, “Book bans, by any name, do more harm than good.”

Shelton resident Thomas Wolfe said the district’s teachings promote “political ideology over the essential curriculum.”

“The BLM (Black Lives Matter) movement has no business in being in our schools,” he said. “That is a political ideology that had no business being here. Anything to do with LGBT is of a sexual preference, which makes it a sexual topic which you have no business teaching our children.”

Wolfe said the district’s curriculum has a “victim oppressive narrative” that “promotes agendas” and “political indoctrination.” He said he supports a recall of Superintendent Wyeth Jessee.

Shelton resident Dean Remillard addressed the teachers who spoke.

“I think both you and I know literature, films, TV, all of that has an agenda behind it, and so we’re concerned about the agenda behind the literature that has been selected,” he said.

Remillard said a study showed early exposure to pornography led to increased risky sexual activity, sexually transmitted diseases, depression, childbirth, abortions and unwanted sex.

Dean Jewett, a lifelong Mason County resident and Shelton High School graduate, said the data “can be manipulated to push your narrative.”

“There’s one thing I want the board to know — the tail does not wag the dog, OK?” he said. The board members tell the superintendent what to do, “and it would be really nice to tell him to hit the highway.”

Board members addressed the audience during their comments at the end of the meeting.

“We do listen, and ask mostly, just be nice,” said school board member Matt Welander. “Everyone up here is doing it for free and it’s all for the love of your kids whether you agree with it or not. We’re doing our part.”

Board member Karla Knudsen-Johnston thanked the people who attended the meeting.

“We need constructive feedback, and we’re about debating things and hearing about our public so I do appreciate all points of view and I especially like the respectable nature of tonight, and very grateful we can hear different viewpoints, but the thing is we are in this job because we care about our students, we care about the kids in our community, and we had one person say she didn’t think we care about kids, and I just want to say yes, that is the motivation for being here on this school board. Also, our goal is we train our students to be critical thinkers. That’s what we need in our society, we need to weigh the differences and the different things coming at them, and that’s what makes an informed public, people who can take information and think about it and put together information for themselves. I don’t think we’re brainwashing anyone — we want them to make up their own mind and think about ideas.”