Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: Problematic Book Collection I got in trouble because of the books I have in my 2nd grade classroom library. I have been an elementary school teacher for 10 years. Recently, I completed my master's degree in education. In the master's program, I learned about the importance of teaching children about different people, different cultures, and different perspectives. Although I am not a big fan of gays and lesbians, I learned to accept them as another group of people in the society that need recognition as anyone else does. So, I decided to include in my classroom library books that included families with two moms or two dads. I have had books with single-parent families, interracial families, families with a mother and a father. So, I thought by including books depicting gay and lesbian families, I was being more inclusive and representing all family types in the society. I believe children should learn that there are families out there that are not like the families they have been seeing and children should learn to respect such families. However, I learned recently that not everyone agrees with me. I have been criticized openly by some of my colleagues. More recently, some parents sent angry letters to me and to the school principal describing their displeasure with my book collection. More specifically, they think I am trying to teach their children to become gays and lesbians. How am I going to handle all these pressures? What would you do? Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) I support the idea and meaning behind your book collection. You are trying to bring an awareness to your students about same sex marriages. You could possibly even have a student with two moms or two dads. And yes, children this young are aware of homosexuality. I know this to be true because I have seen more than one situation where a child in elementary had two fathers or two mothers and his/her classmates were fully aware. However, this is such a controversial topic and I can see where parents and colleagues would be uncomfortable with these books in the classroom. Even though some students are aware of homosexuality, 2nd graders are still young and some parents of your students may not have discussed that particular topic with their children yet. Therefore, they may not find the idea of their child discovering it in a book very comforting or appropriate. I think it may be best to remove the books from your classroom in respect for your students and their families. Letting them discuss homosexuality with their own families is to me, the more appropriate method.