After a few weeks of preparation, members of the Boulder Hill Elementary School Diversity Club presented in front of the board of the Oswego Public Library District (OPLD) on Jan. 24. Passionate about the controversial topic of book banning in schools, they advocated to protect the beloved books in their school community.
“[The kids] each ended up choosing a book that they’ve either read about or were interested in and did their focus on that specific book. They talked about why they love the book, what they liked about it, and created like a little slideshow,” said Elizabeth Medina, a fourth-grade teacher at Boulder Hill Elementary and one of the two teachers who run the Diversity Club.
After the preparations, the Diversity Club took their materials to the OPLD board meeting on Jan. 24. The kids signed up to speak during the open floor to the public.
“I thought that their approach was brilliant. They were not pointing fingers, [and] they were very articulate,” said Dominique Rquibi, a gifted education teacher on special assignment (TOSA).
Each student was only allowed three minutes to speak, as per the regulations of the board meeting. All of the kids weren’t able to speak, as there was a limit of half an hour for public comment, but several did.
“I just wanted to speak out because I want to have my voice be heard. And I want to make a difference in the world, and I was really outraged that people want to ban books,” said Alexi Bormann, a fifth grader at Boulder Hill and a member of the Diversity Club.
People have been attending the board meetings to advocate for banning books in libraries and schools for some time now.
“It’s hard to describe what they were actually saying, they would read these things, I don’t know if they were quoting someone else,” said Rquibi.
Rquibi continued, adding, “I don’t know if they were biblical. And they would go on and on [[…]] and the message from these people was that there were things on the shelf that should not be there, and they wanted those things removed.”
Rquibi discussed the issue with the Coalition, a group within SD#308 that advocates for diversity and equality. One of the attendees was Maryam Osuch, TOSA for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, as well as the other leader of the Diversity Club.
“I took it to our club. [Saying] our kids were upset [would be] a light word for how they felt. We let them look up banned books, and then pick [one]. We said we’re going to kill them with kindness. We’re not going to be mean and say mean things. We’re going to say why we love these books and why we love the library,” said Osuch.
Osuch prepared the students to speak in front of the OPLD board, emphasizing a positive approach to getting their message across.
“We said we’re going to kill them with kindness. We’re not going to be mean and say mean things. We’re going to say why we love these books and why we love the library,” said Osuch.
The presentation was the result of several people working together to help the kids stand up for what they believe in. Teachers, parents, and district officials all played their part in supporting our youth.
“I think anytime you can have more students participate in the governmental process, whether it be a library school board, or our library board or school board. I think that that’s a good thing,” said OH Library Resource Center (LRC) Director Andrew Mundsinger. “[T]oo many times we maybe have opinions, and we don’t say anything, or act on those. And so I think getting kids more civically active is always a good thing.”
Mundsinger is not the only member of the SD#308 community who is in full support of students speaking their opinions and advocating for what they believe is right. SD#308 Superintendent Dr. Andalib Khelghati echoed the value of student voices in the educational process.
“The voices of our young people are the future, they’re there. They are our future leaders. And so, the fact that they are so fired up and excited to support something like this or that they are committed to social justice is extremely promising for all of us,” said Khelghati.
As children throughout the district are encouraged to become a part of discussions, they learn valuable skills that will help them become strong leaders who will continue to make a difference in our community as they attend middle school and beyond.
“I’m appreciative that we’re in a community that also invests in its young people. [The fact] Those students [arrived] at that presentation and [were] prepared means that you have teachers who are really helping students develop critical thinking,” Khelghati concluded.
Hello my name is Ryker Stevenson and this is my second year on 42fifty. I am a senior and currently participate in chess club and co-captain for scholastic bowl. I am happy to be back and to serve the publication again as the Arts and Entertainment Section Editor.
My name is Natalie Raabe and I am a senior at Oswego High School. This is my second year as a member of the 42fifty team and I serve as a Managing Editor and the Features Section Leader. Additionally, I am a member of the BIONIC board, NHS, Best Buddies, SNHS, NEHS, Rho Kappa, and Mu Alpha Theta.
Amazing work, so proud of you guy’s fantastic writing