Library book complaint whistleblowing

[TheBookWyrm]

Hello. Fairly regular lurker and NC.

Todayi went to my local library and DH pulled out an inappropriate gender ideology book from the kids section, which toddlers up can access.

The good news is, DH is clearly on it as was horrified by the sexualised content, assigned at birth stereotypes etc. It was clearly designed to lead children to the conclusion they are trans.
I work in education and know this book clearly violates the DfE guidance around sex and gender and would be fairly confident tackling it in a school setting, but I've no idea of the process of Rai it with the library or if I'll just get ignored or doxxed.
I feel hollow because i feel i ignored a safeguarding issue, the book is ßtill there, but have no idea how to navigate it without risking my career. I feel a coward but with my family being so young I cannot jeapodise our future.
Any way I can do this anamomously and it will get looked at seriously?

Well, with children, schools have a duty of care. A library should have one too, it's not a bookshop, it's actively promoting this book and ideology.

And yes, if you understood anything about child development and misconceptions you can easily see how this book may start a child thinking they are trans for perfectly normal childhood.behaviour.

It's not an issue of it being available, it's not book burning, it's about buying and displaying age appropriate content.

Ugh, censorship

Censorship is also enjoying a renaissance in Texas and Alabama and other right-wing US states

If you don't like the book, OP, then don't check it out for your child. Problem solved

Sadly safeguarding is being dismantled everywhere. It took us so long to get it.

We censor for children all the time. Censorship for children is a normal part of growing up.
We don't teach column addition in year r. They're not cognitively ready for it. Not censorship. Age appropriate.
We don't teach about the mechanics of sex until late KS2. Not censorship. Waiting until child can process it.

So when we know that children don't have an idea that sex is fixed until four, why is this censorship to not have it on the toddler shelf?
Again,.if it were in another section, it wouldn't be the same issue.

Censorship and safeguarding are not the same thing.

Oh for goodness sake, you are being totally dramatic here. You don't think the book should be on the shelves. I disagree with you on that subject, but it is extremely easy to take the book to the librarian and question its shelving. Of course it is written to be attractive to children - because it is a children's book which is intended to be c0-read with a parent to explore issues that exist, whatever your personal stance on those issues are. Books about race, homosexuality and many other issues are written and illustrated to be attractive to children - and some parents object to those books because they don't agree with their content. Are we not to have ANY books about anything in case a parent doesn't like the content? This isn't about what anyone thinks of the subject matter or personal opinions on live issues in the world. It is about the fact that libraries must provide for a range of readership and not just the books that you personally approve of.

Perhaps there does need to be an adult conversation about how books are shelved - I am not saying that I agree or disagree with you, but I can see an argument for suggesting that some content might be shelved differently. But I am struggling to see how that could work. I see that you have a specific viewpoint on this issue, and again, it isn't relevant whether I agree with you or now. But when the parents of young Jimmy, who happen to be members Patriotic Alternative object to those toddlers books about blended families, gay parents, or mixed race households, are we to shelve those books elsewhere? By the time we are finished, there are no books left on the shelves. And we have very uncomfortably aligned ourselves with people who ban and burn books...

it's actively promoting this book and ideology.

Of course it's not!

I work with libraries. Absolutely no question that having a book on the shelf means anything is being 'promoted'.

if you understood anything about child development and misconceptions you can easily see how this book may start a child thinking they are trans for perfectly normal childhood.behaviour

Thanks for the patronising put down.

How do you know I don't know anything about child development?

It is about the fact that libraries must provide for a range of readership and not just the books that you personally approve of.

Exactly.

Is it age appropriate material?

But it is censorship to demand books that don't align with one's personal ideology & beliefs are removed.

I think this is a dreadful book. But I wouldn't ask it to be removed.

If the library started holding storytelling sessions with this book being read aloud, I may feel differently. There is an active intent & promotion there.

Someone else may hold strong views on other issues and want books that don't accord with those views removed. How does a library decide which are merited?

Its not censorship to remove it if its not age appropriate.

It's advertised as for 3 years and up.
And they're pushing it at teachers.

I do some work for the library service and there is a well established and simple procedure for complains such as this.
Put your issues in writing and your argument will be formally addressed and responded to, usually with a reasoning behind this choice. I have never known a book be removed though for anything other than outright racism.
Censoring books is a dangerous thing.
Fwiw I happen to agree with your issues with this particular book but lots of parents ask for such titles, why is their business.

Borrow it. Or dont borrow it.
Complain . Or don’t complain.

honestly not seen so much pearl grabbing in at least 3 days on here.

i don’t agree with the bible or religious texts. Doesn’t mean I don’t feel they belong in libraries.

what next.. what books should we burn in the name of safeguarding after this one?

So the proper response to a safeguarding concern, any concern is: here is how to report that.
Safeguarding does not require your personal opinion on whether you think it's a risk or not. You recommend the correct channels to deal with it as @Mama1980 has communicated. Is there a way to do that anonymously, Mama? I'm not after banning anything. Or burning etc. I'm after a proper investigation on whether it is suitable for the toddlers area in the library. It's quite different to books like and Tango Makes Three because it has content that is not age appropriate, so right wing flailing is not relevant.
You may think you see pearl clutching but I'm seeing a complete misunderstanding of safeguarding.
I find it a bit disheartening the laxity outside education regarding safeguarding, as the proper channels aren't clear for a start along with an unwillingness to take responsibility.
But again, not really interested in safeguarding advice from those who aren't familiar with the process. After practical.advice. thought was clear.

Many libraries have books that are available to borrow if you want them but not kept on the shelves, for one reason or another. Its a good solution imo.

But again, not really interested in safeguarding advice from those who aren't familiar with the process.

In your opinion! And isn't that the issue here? You want your opinion to rule, and have no respect for anyone else's opinion. Safeguarding is not a fixed process, it is dynamic. It is as much about the discussion and where that leads. No child is at risk because of a book that a toddler can't even read - and which requires a parental judgement as to its appropriateness for the child. And for your information I don't know about anyone else here, but I know exactly what safeguarding processes are. You don't get to dictate that only your interpretation of them are right.

The problem with doing it anonymously is that you won't receive a response to your complaint so you'll never get to read and respond to any reasoning put forward. So it wouldn't really work.
If you do want to make a complaint or raise an issue I'd advise you to write formally to the head of the library service in your area (their name should be online on your council website) making a clear argument and requesting a written response. I would then advise handing it to your local library manager and asking for a receipt to ensure that it is not overlooked and that you can prove you made such an enquiry.
Rightly or wrongly you clearly feel very strongly about this so I would advise you to do the above and see what the response is.

Who sees that information though, that being the crux of the matter?

Here’s where it’s available in the SE.
interesting that some libraries keep it on the parent shelf rather than on the child shelf - that seems like a potential suggestion you could make without ‘outing’ yourself (although personally I think it’s a load of pish and should be withdrawn). FYI It’s referenced in Abigail Shrier’s book too.

another observation- it’s written by a Californian teacher and ‘mama’ but no pictures of this person exist on line. They have a very unusual name but only exist (online) in relation to this book. Curious.

The local authority that the library falls under will have a whistleblowing reporting process, you can report anonymously online. I’d suggest asking for it to be re shelved not removed. You need some proportionality to the action that you would want to see otherwise they’ll write it off as an extreme opinion, rather than a concern that has merit.

Unless you work for the library service (which you clearly don't) then I don't understand why you think it's such a risk to raise a complaint.

I agree with you that the book is full of crap. There are plenty of other crap kids books out there though and I don't think this book is a safeguarding concern to have it on the shelves.