Should students be limited to books that match their reading levels?

My school uses a computerized reading program that assigns reading levels to students. I’ve been asked to label our library books and restrict students to their appropriate reading levels. Is that acceptable?

The American Library Association discourages placing prejudicial labels on library materials. Some school librarians may argue that labeling and shelving books by grade level makes it easier for children to find titles that correspond to their reading levels. But that scenario becomes censorship when students are only allowed to take out materials that match their reading levels. Although some parents and teachers think that labeling books by grade level is helpful in guiding young readers, libraries should never use labels that promote restrictive or prejudicial practices. By the way, most computerized reading programs provide the grade levels of books on their Web sites for those seeking such information.

A parent complained that July’s People by Nadine Gordimer wasn’t appropriate for his 10th-grade son. Our principal told him that it was required reading—and his son had to read it or else he would fail global studies. How can we avoid another situation like that?

Though schools do have freedom in designing curriculum, it’s always a good idea to offer students a reading alternative. If your district doesn’t have a policy that addresses this issue, speak with your principal, curriculum supervisors, or superintendent and encourage them to propose such a policy. In the end, it protects the teacher, curriculum, and school from a potentially volatile situation.

Librarians often have to deal with censorship cases. I recommend that they meet with teachers at the beginning of the school year and suggest that their colleagues select an alternative novel for each unit. It should be one that follows the objectives of the class, and in no way jeopardizes the integrity of the curriculum. Most students will never request another title, but allowing a choice removes the likelihood of a challenge that affects all of the students.

A teacher told a gifted fourth-grade student that she couldn’t read Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret because it has a third-grade reading level. What should I tell the teacher?

Blume’s novel mirrors the life of a fourth or fifth grader. This is an unfortunate situation: the student is being restricted because of the book’s reading level, and she’s being punished because she is gifted (which, of course, doesn’t mean that she is more mature). If she reads the novel, she may discover that it’s a quick read and the vocabulary is not very challenging for her. On the other hand, she’ll discover a protagonist with whom she can identify—someone who is dealing with the joys and pains of growing up. Explain to the teacher that sometimes students just want to read for the pure fun of it—and because they need a story’s main character to be their friend. The purpose of the library is to provide all types of materials for students and to allow them to read freely. That may be a good topic for a future in-service program or faculty meeting.

Copies of The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky were removed from elementary school libraries in Apache Junction, AZ. Is the school district guilty of censorship?

My answer is an emphatic no. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is an excellent novel for young adult readers, but it’s not appropriate for elementary-school-age children (even though it has a fourth-grade reading level). There are more and more censorship cases developing across the nation because educators are relying on computerized programs to select books. But students’ maturity levels and reading levels aren’t the same. Also, sometimes we must be willing to admit that we’ve made a mistake in selecting a title. That’s why it’s important when reading reviews to note the age group for which a book is recommended.

I’ve heard that some high schools are reexamining The Perks of Being a Wallflower because of what happened in Arizona. That’s too bad, because older students deserve to have access to it. If the novel is removed from the state’s high school libraries without a formal challenge, and without due process, then censorship has occurred. School administrators should be reminded of Island Trees Union School District No. 26 vs. Pico, a case in which the Supreme Court ruled that books could be removed from school libraries only if they were “educationally unsuitable.”