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BEDFORD, N.Y. – In an emotional response to last week's preliminary budget — which would cut more than 30 Bedford Central School District positions — eight district librarians spoke out at Wednesday night’s school board meeting.
Assuming cuts are made, should elementary librarian positions be among them?
View ResultsAssuming cuts are made, should elementary librarian positions be among them?
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No, librarians provide a crucial service at the elementary level.
87% -
Yes, librarians are more of a luxury with today's technology.
9% -
They should find a way to at least bring back more than they are now.
5%
“I am speaking for the district school librarians tonight in response to the news that the preliminary budget has proposed cutting four of five elementary school library positions,” Mount Kisco Elementary School library media specialist Susan Polos said.
Polos stood in front of the school board, with seven of her peers standing behind her, as she addressed her concerns with the cuts.
“We respect our district leadership and know that tough decisions must be made,” she said. “Nevertheless, there are consequences to decisions, and the consequences of cutting elementary school librarians, which has not happened in any neighboring district, is almost unthinkable.”
When looking at teacher cuts at last week’s preliminary budget hearing, the logic of technology lowering the demand for librarians was discussed. Polos shot down this reasoning, pointing out that technology does not always provide accurate knowledge, especially for many elementary students who are just learning to decipher information sources.
Students need librarians to teach them the research process — to dig below the surface of the most common search engines, she said.
“Google may help students find information on the limited segment of the Internet that it actually does search, but then what?” said Polos. “Google won’t decide if the information is relevant, biased or authoritative, or help students organize the information.”
With the budget in its preliminary stage, cuts can still be changed. The district has “a little bit a wiggle room” to look at some cuts more closely, Superintendent Jere Hochman said last week, encouraging public feedback on the plan.
The district’s librarians took him up on his offer.
“School librarians are critical characters in Beford’s own story. As careful stewards, please know that in the next chapters written is the future of our children,” said Polos. “Please don’t close the book on the elementary school library program.”
Comments (12)
I have been a tax-paying resident of the BCSD for almost 40 years, with 2 children who went through the system. I have NEVER voted against a school budget, but if this cut goes through, I will vote against the budget in May. I cannot support a budget which I feel is educationally unsound. Although no program has yet been outlined in which one elementary school librarian will provide a high level of service to the children of five schools, I cannot imagine that such a plan exists.
The elementary librarians were cut once before, during Dr. Bruce Dennis' tenure as Superintendent. That was not a cut based on pedagogy either, rather a cut based on money and convenience. Is there no one left in the administration who remembers that that experiment was a failure and that full library staffing was restored as soon as possible? They were targeted again in 2009, but taken off the cut list. Someone must have remembered the mistake of the past.
I watched the entire budget presentation of March 13. I was horrified to hear the present Superintendent say that cutting the 4 librarians "fit nicely" into the concept of what our schools will look like in five years. As if that wasn't enough, he followed with a general reference to "technology," as if that would take the place of the instruction a trained library media specialist gives to every child every week. Children cannot differentiate between quantity and quality in the flood of internet information. This skill must be taught by a skilled researcher, a librarian.
At the end of his budget presentation, the Superintendent challenged either the listeners or the Board to come to him with an alternative cut if advocating against one of his recommended cuts. With all due respect, finding a less pedagogically devastating way to save money is HIS job, not the taxpayers'.
I hope that the Board does the right thing and restores this invaluable resource to the children now in elementary school. They will not have another chance at being introduced to research in second or third grade, even if librarians are restored a few years hence.
School library programs, lead by certified school librarians, are integral to the education of our children. These educators (they all have education degrees) are experts in the curriculum of their schools and often the first to use and introduce technology purposefully. They are the definition of the phrase “life long learner.” The school library collection reflects the curriculum and the interests of students. School librarians collaborate with classroom teachers to make sure that all student needs are met. Pick up any newspaper, listen to any newscast and you will understand why school librarians are important. They are the folks who make the time to teach students not just how to use technology, but how to use it responsibly, ethically and safely. They consistently encourage students to check their facts and think critically about what they are reading—whether “in print” or “online.” These are skills needed to become responsible and active citizens. School librarians are not an “extra,” they are at the core of every good school.
It is amazing that during this the Information Age, schools are cutting their librarians. The Common Core writing standards 6,7,8,9, and 10 call for students to "research to build and present knowledge." Who will guide research (which is different than mere "finding information") ? Where will students be taught true research to be College and Career ready. Students are tech-savvy but information illiterate. Reading and research are perhaps the two most prominent words in the CCSS. "INFORMATION" is mentioned 243 times in the CCSS and Appendix A. Are your teachers embracing that correcty?
It is amazing that during this the Information Age, schools are cutting their librarians. The Common Core writing standards 6,7,8,9, and 10 call for students to "research to build and present knowledge." Who will guide research (which is different than mere "finding information") ? Where will students be taught true research to be College and Career ready. Students are tech-savvy but information illiterate. Reading and research are perhaps the two most prominent words in the CCSS. "INFORMATION" is mentioned 243 times in the CCSS and Appendix A. Are your teachers embracing that correcty?
It is amazing that during this the Information Age, schools are cutting their librarians. The Common Core writing standards 6,7,8,9, and 10 call for students to "research to build and present knowledge." Who will guide research (which is different than mere "finding information") ? Where will students be taught true research to be College and Career ready. Students are tech-savvy but information illiterate. Reading and research are perhaps the two most prominent words in the CCSS. "INFORMATION" is mentioned 243 times in the CCSS and Appendix A. Are your teachers embracing that correcty?
I find it appalling that such an esteemed school district would cut one of the most important fundamentals of education. Libraries have always been a haven of knowledge for thousands of years dating back to the ancient Greeks. One of my most cherished childhood memories involves my elementary school librarian. She helped me to discover the joys of learning by opening my mind to the world. I was able to find information from the elements on the periodic table to famous artist and more. I sincerely hope that my young children will be able to experience the joy of opening their minds as well, instead of being able to regurgitate information for a standardized test that had no true bearing on a child's intelligence and potential.
i respectfully suggest it behooves you to put forth a proposal to vote on raising the 2% tax cap to avoid the decimation of our school system. this suggestion, which would clearly be unpopular with some of bedford's constituencies, should be considered for the following reasons:
1. your current proposals are already clearly unpopular with many of bedford's constituencies; a public exploration of this issue, however distasteful to some, appears in order. it appears disingenuous and even insulting not to explore every option.
2. you owe it to the teachers and staff whom you are dismissing.
3. you owe it to those with property/real estate interests, as real estate brokers will now have a new slogan: "move to bedford...the town whose schools have no libraries...but does have a new model."
4. you owe it to those sincere members of the community who continue to support your efforts and wish to avoid a protest/backlash vote characterized by those who will vote to defeat this budget out of anger, as was done several years ago.
5. most of all, you owe it to the children
Research shows that school library programs directly impact student achievement. Our librarians have strong programs that motivate students to be independent, life-long learners. As a volunteer in the library I have seen how important our librarians are for our childrens education. All elementary schools should have a full time professionally educated librarian/media specilalist.
A school librarian is tasked with one of the most important jobs in an elementary school – helping children establish a love of books and, therefore, a love of learning. The elementary level is where children are the most impressionable. It is a vital time to teach the importance of books, learning new information, fact finding skills and stimulating their curiosity. Students at this age are taught about all of the special members of the community, including the librarian. If we take them out of our schools, they will get a terrible message that all of these things a librarian stands for are not very important.
How many educators are involved in contributing to these decisions? Most people outside the school are not aware of what librarians do, especialy at the elementary level. Quality education systems are built from the bottom up and cannot be successful if the students don't have a proper foundation on the way up the ladder. The librarians teach every grade level in their school, not just a single class. It is reflective of the status of education that today's NY State curriculum requires Gym class but not Library! Hopefully, Bedford will realize that they need to find a way over that hurdle. It is great that high school students are able to perform well in the gymnasium after years of practice but, it would be moot if they are unable to excel in a classroom that demands years of intellectual effort because their school decided that answers could be delivered by a keyboard request, rather than pursued via examination of all possibilities, in search for the best answer, with a guide to explain the differences. It seems when governments take more control of their citizens, that intellectuals and books are always the first casualties.
Research is an essential skill for our students; internet use is not a substitute for learning basic research skills. Further, children need to be taught how to use the internet, which though a valuable tool for sure, is loaded with misinformation. The library is a place for our elementary school children to acquire a love of reading and of seeking independent knowledge. The library is a place for children to use their imaginations, and spread their wings and fly. We need to treasure our librarians not lay them off.
It is misguided to replace school library media specialists with parent volunteers, aides and math coaches - There is not even any real savings because of the cost of hiring math coaches. This is about capitulating to the data-driven landscape of education and not about serving the community's children.