Pat Padden answers “I'm a public school librarian on a 9th and...”

A Goodreads user asked this question about Greenlights:

I'm a public school librarian on a 9th and 10th grade campus (ages 14-16)...in Texas...and I'm getting lots of requests for this book. Is there anything that stands out that would make it objectionable for that audience? Note: some foul language would not necessarily exclude it, but it would if it were too much or just done for shock value (the reviews don't seem to mention any overly salacious content).

Pat Padden We're Americans, right? Put it on the shelf. Let them check it out and take it home - which is where this discussion belongs. Maybe you should think a…moreWe're Americans, right? Put it on the shelf. Let them check it out and take it home - which is where this discussion belongs. Maybe you should think about sending a letter to parents at the beginning of every school year explaining that you support the First Amendment, and that you believe that it's up to them, not you, to vet their childrens' reading choices. You're there to run the library. It's their responsibility to raise their children, and being aware of and talking with their kids about what they're reading is part of the awesome challenge of raising a morally and socially responsible child to become a fully-functional adult. (less)

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