Readers Respond
The previous question was from a reader with a curatorial query. She wrote: “I have a Little Free Library in my front yard. I encourage my neighbors to take books and leave books, and many do. Children’s books are especially popular. … Someone leaves a lot of religious books in my Little Free Library. I welcome Bible stories, prayer books and religious philosophy, but recently donated books are making the case to children against evolution. In storybook form, these books state that the earth is only a few thousand years old, and that dinosaurs and humans coexisted. These are not told as stories, but as the word of God. I realize that parents usually help children choose books from my front yard, and that I do not have an obligation to leave specific books in my L.F.L. indefinitely. Still, these anti-science books present me with an ethical dilemma: If I am opposed to schools’ and public libraries’ banning books like ‘‘In the Night Kitchen,’’ ‘‘Fun Home’’ and ‘‘Heather Has Two Mommies,’’ must I also distribute creationist children’s books?”
In his response, the Ethicist noted: “School librarians must contend with issues of what’s age-appropriate, what’s consistent with the educational mission and what’s considered harmful, by parents as well as educators. In a progressive school in Brooklyn, you may not find a book viewed as hurtful to L.G.B.T.Q. people; in a Christian academy in the South, you might not find one viewed as advancing L.G.B.T.Q. perspectives. The point isn’t that they’re equivalent; it’s that people who say they’re opposed to banning books often wish themselves to keep certain books off the school shelves. … I favor a relatively permissive approach. Children get properly educated when they’re aware of a wide range of views, including, as they grow older, views their parents disagree with. Learning to evaluate ideas is a preparation for adult freedom. Adults, in turn, are entitled to make their own choices about what to read. That’s one way in which adults exercise their freedom. Another way is by making choices about what books to provide to their young kids, or those in their neighborhood. So toss those creationist books if you like. Still, I doubt it would accomplish much. A parent intent on promoting creationism isn’t going to be hindered by their absence; another parent might use them to critique creationist views. Both will find a way to think outside your box.” (Reread the full question and answer here.)
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I am a school librarian, and part of my job is not only to purchase books for the library but also to remove books that are outdated, factually incorrect, poorly circulated, in bad condition, etc. I would weed out books from my school library that disseminate creationism as the “true” narrative because they are factually incorrect and therefore inappropriate for my library. This is different from banning books or censoring materials, which occurs when someone restricts access to materials based on a difference of belief. I think she can, and should, remove these items, because they aren’t scientifically correct. — Sarah
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A vast majority of Christians would quibble with applying the phrase “anti-science” to Christian books. God gave us a curiosity about the world around us and the abilities to investigate it. We just disagree with others about the findings of those investigations. You do not have to choose between science and God. The best presenter of this idea I know of is John Lennox, professor emeritus of mathematics at Oxford University. — Randy