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 think including books that represent LGBT+ lifestyles is a wonderful idea! Children need to be exposed to cultures that are different than their own at young ages. Hatred and discrimination do not come naturally to children; these are learned behaviors. Homosexuality is not some complex topic that children don't understand. It is simply when one person loves someone of the same gender. That's not that complicated. The children whose parents disagree with including LGBT+ friendly book in the classroom are the children who need these books the most. Never shy away from doing the right thing in the face of adversity. You should treat LGBT+ people just like any other minority. Would you send a not home asking parents if it were ok to have books portraying African American children? Would you stop teaching that Jewish are people too just because a parent objected? No. Why is a sexual minority any different from a religious or racial minority? Many people pointed out that some children in the class might have two moms or two dads. This is a very valid point. However, no one pointed out that some children in the class might be LGBT+ themselves. Crushes develop at very early ages. 7 year olds are not immune to getting butterflies in their stomachs around pretty people. Removing these books from the classroom would tell these children that their feelings are not ok. This is extremely damaging and could contribute to a lifetime of self-hatred. Sometimes, I believe that the battle for equality is mostly over. Then I read comments like these and realize that is far from the truth. Schools need more LGBT+ teachers to show children that people of sexual minorities are just that: people.