Comments on: Sara Stevenson: School Librarian Crusader

By: A.C. Loya

A.C. Loya — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 12:19:02 +0000

I witnessed as she so anxiously plunged into the district board meetings in Austin ready to speak on behalf of all librarians, really. She was willing to stay late to tell them how crucial librarians are to today’s youth and their education. The public school library is the last frontier left unscathed by state testing and full of pleasure reading for students during their school day! She was one of the librarians who became a beacon of energy and a bundle of wise advice to fellow colleagues. Your efforts help literacy, literature appreciation and its advocates everywhere.

By: Marie Slim

Marie Slim — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 21:45:36 +0000

Is Sara no longer a teacher now that she is a librarian? Help me understand.

By: Stephen Krashen

Stephen Krashen — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 18:34:17 +0000

Our major problem in education is getting information to the public. The public only hears from reporters, who are often over-worked and therefore not well-informed, from politicians, who are given information by staff members who often tell them only what they think the politician wants to hear, and from ivory tower professors (like me) who know the research who lack real-world experience. Sara Stevenson’s excellent letters are a big part of the solution to this problem.

By: Betsy Crosby

Betsy Crosby — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 04:14:41 +0000

I am glad there are librarians like Sarah who write so well about the negative effects of testing. More parents need to become educated about the hours spent on testing preparation instead of actual learning. I am a retired teacher and librarian who is grateful that my adult children went to public school before NCLB testing.

By: Texas Parents

Texas Parents — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 21:38:39 +0000

Sara and Jeanette are correct when they refer to teachers’ reluctance to speak out against high-stakes testing. Fear of bullying from the administration and possible job loss are valid concerns. Sara is hoping that eventually high school students will come to their senses and find the courage to speak out. We hope that more parents will finally realize that the current system of high-stakes testing is immoral, costly and quite harmful to students. Administrators can bully and threaten parents, but they can’t fire us. We support teachers and their efforts to reduce testing and improve the quality of instruction in our Texas Public Schools.

By: Jeanette Larson

Jeanette Larson — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 20:59:51 +0000

I’ve always admired Sara’s willingness to speak up about library issues. Unfortunately so many school and public librarians are fearful. While there are rules about what city, county, and school district employees can do with regards to lobbying their own governing body, we have a right and obligation to speak up in ways that we can (as individuals instead of employees, for example) and to speak up on behalf of our colleagues who feel they can’t. Austin is proud of Sara!!