Current Events > Librarians allege Scholastic is allowing schools to opt out of 'diverse books'

(+) Yeah! (+)

Several librarians have taken to social media to allege that Scholastic allows schools to opt out of providing diverse books at Scholastic book fairs. Scholastic annually hosts an estimated 120,000 book fairs in schools across the United States. Its a day where students get to wander through gymnasiums, libraries, and auditoriums to explore and buy all kinds of books sent over by Scholastic. The whole idea is to expose kids to a variety of books they might not otherwise have access to. Unfortunately, book fairs may look very different this year as the right-wing effort to ban books continues to gain momentum.
...
The first allegation came from a Reddit user, who accused Scholastic of offering a bigotry button for school book fairs

The poster explained that their schools librarian was upset when Scholastic asked her the bizarre question of whether she wanted to include diverse books at her schools book fair. Apparently, Scholastic has compiled all of its diverse booksbooks with BIPOC characters, LGBTQ+ topics, immigration issues, and racisminto one case. The posters noted that these books ranged from kindergarten to middle school, so it did appear that Scholastic specifically looked for diverse books across all age ranges to separate from all the rest of the books. This way, conservative and bigoted school officials can easily decide that they dont want diverse books and refuse to have the diverse case sent over.

A week later, librarian and TikTok user Tegan B posted a video making similar accusations. They recounted being asked if they wanted diverse books, and even though they confirmed that they did, the diverse bookcase wasnt sent until three days into the fair. While a few books with BIPOC characters were still included in the non-diverse book selections, the majority of the librarians books were about animals or white characters. This meant that many of her predominantly Hispanic students didnt get the option to buy books they saw themselves reflected in.

Meanwhile, author Kelley Jensen revealed that Scholastics optional diverse books case came up at The Association of Illinois School Library Educators meeting. She called the decision insidious and stated that librarians must raise hell about this.

Well... aren't they?
If you provide a product sheet to a client, and the client actually gets to choose the product to be delivered, then yes, this is true.

So you see no problem with this?

Well... aren't they?
If you provide a product sheet to a client, and the client actually gets to choose the product to be delivered, then yes, this is true.

Something something "free market" something something "Ayn Rand shit in my brain"

Well, yeah.
Scholastic wants to make money, and is fully aware that the other option is no book fair at all.

Well, yeah.
Scholastic wants to make money, and is fully aware that the other option is no book fair at all.

Why would there not be a book fair at all if you include these?

Well... aren't they?
If you provide a product sheet to a client, and the client actually gets to choose the product to be delivered, then yes, this is true.

Is that not a "product list"?

The poster explained that their schools librarian was upset when Scholastic asked her the bizarre question of whether she wanted to include diverse books at her schools book fair. Apparently, Scholastic has compiled all of its diverse booksbooks with BIPOC characters, LGBTQ+ topics, immigration issues, and racisminto one case. The posters noted that these books ranged from kindergarten to middle school, so it did appear that Scholastic specifically looked for diverse books across all age ranges to separate from all the rest of the books.

A week later, librarian and TikTok user Tegan B posted a video making similar accusations. They recounted being asked if they wanted diverse books, and even though they confirmed that they did, the diverse bookcase wasnt sent until three days into the fair.

This will never end until progressives stop being civil and tolerant of conservatives. Either you openly condemn them for their insidiousness or let them ruin life for everyone else.

So many of your problems with comprehension could be solved by being willing to read.

Scholastic has specifically singled out "diverse books" and proactively offered school leaders the chance to exclude them.

like this sucks but also obviously. they're a business. the money they earn by appeasing bigots is more than the money they'd lose if they raised a fit. it's gutless but if the alternative is no book fair at all

Scholastic has specifically singled out "diverse books" and proactively offered school leaders the chance to exclude them.

I'd honestly rather have no book fair. Like... Imagine any child that doesn't get the choice of books because some random leader doesn't want them there.

the problem isn't on scholastic

I'd honestly rather have no book fair. Like... Imagine any child that doesn't get the choice of books because some random leader doesn't want them there.

I'd honestly rather have no book fair. Like... Imagine any child that doesn't get the choice of books because some random leader doesn't want them there.

This will never end until progressives stop being civil and tolerant of conservatives. Either you openly condemn them for their insidiousness or let them ruin life for everyone else.

Maybe I'm being naive,

in this day and age every kid should at least be able come away from a book fair with one book. but when I was a kid in the 90s it was all about who got the most money to waste. I'd skip lunch for two weeks to get an extra $20. some kids got nothing. and some kids had parents parked outside the school who gave them extra money to buy the $3 each crazy pencils that would break in 4 days

it was a really good way of exposing 5-10 year olds to capitalism though

You are.

This will never end until progressives stop being civil and tolerant of conservatives. Either you openly condemn them for their insidiousness or let them ruin life for everyone else.

It really is a failure of our society that we didn't crush these bigots completely while we had the chance. Now, their roots are too deep.

It really is a failure of our society that we didn't crush these bigots completely while we had the chance. Now, their roots are too deep.

the issue here being that if any library does this it's because it's a choice by the school itself.

A week later, librarian and TikTok user Tegan B posted a video making similar accusations. They recounted being asked if they wanted diverse books, and even though they confirmed that they did, the diverse bookcase wasnt sent until three days into the fair.

I feel like the aggressiveness of some voices on the left has only stoked these issues and made the right more stubborn.

This is not the right advice. Maybe I'm being naive, but I feel like the aggressiveness of some voices on the left has only stoked these issues and made the right more stubborn. Doing this will only make it worse. We need some other solution besides a widening gap

That's how you get some "family values" vendor to fill in the gap.

That's why you do it after-hours, when the parents who give a shit can buy junior some books and that fragile pencil.

Update: now with a photo! https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/5/1/AAWHm8AAE7H_.jpg