Linda Smithson, a teacher-librarian at Smart Intermediate said reducing the department so drastically would hurt disadvantaged students — students of color, students with disabilities and low-income students — the most. “We are in a position that allows us to work with and develop relationships with all students in the building,” she said.
Don't Cut Davenport School Librarians
Facing a budget shortfall, the Davenport School District has threatened the positions of 22 librarians and replacing them with paraprofessionals.
Facing a budget shortfall, the Davenport School District has threatened the positions of 22 librarians and replacing them with paraprofessionals.
We need your support today! The vote to eliminate school librarians tomorrow (Thursday, Feb 20th).
We need people like you, who care about childrens' literacy and information skills, to act today and contact the school board members here or send an email to the board secretary at [email protected] to express your concerns with this drastic measure.
This item, along with the Keystone closure, received the most push-back from the school board. - via QC Times
Our children deserve the best education possible with certified librarians. In fact, years of research have consistently shown a positive correlation between high quality school library programs and librarians and higher reading and writing test scores, including higher graduation rates. Across 34 states, the studies also suggest that our most needy students who are academically at risk benefit more when they have access to a school library with a certified school librarian than all students in general. School librarians not only provide reading guidance and resources, they teach students to critically evaluate print and online information to sift fact from opinion. Information literacy and Internet safety are at the core of their work.