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Sample Reconsideration Form for Pink, Blue, and You
We have encouraging news, and a sample form with snark.
Encouraging News
Before we go into this post’s topic, we wanted to tell you some exciting news. The two copies on order of the book Pink, Blue and You! have been removed! We are already making a difference you guys!! While the order was canceled, moving the existing book is a different matter, and we must go through the legal process of filling out the reconsideration forms. Thank you so much for coming along on this journey with us.
Reconsideration Form
A friend recommended I write up a sample reconsideration form. We thought that was a good idea, so that is what this post will be about. I will have several different responses to each question. One, some or all of the responses could be used, in addition to your own thoughts. You will probably want to re-word some of it because we were having a bit of fun here. Please don’t feel like you have to use this template at all, but if you would like an example, here it is.
First, what is a reconsideration form? This is a little confusing because this process is sometimes called a “challenge,” and sometimes a “reconsideration request,” and it sounds like this form is for having books removed from the library entirely. The reality is that libraries rarely remove books entirely. The books are typically moved from one section to another. There seems to be a political motivation to push the idea of this form in this way to perpetuate the fake news of “book burning.” This makes for a splashy, emotional news story. We will not play into that nonsense.
To be clear, we are asking the library to reconsider where they have placed the book. If they do not want to move the book, at least place it out of reach of children and/or label it to alert parents of potential mature content.
A copy of the reconsideration form can be found here. You can also go to any library in Montgomery County and ask for the form at a help desk. You can fill the form out right there and hand it back to the librarian.
Here is our example:
Author: Elise Gravel with Mykaell Blais Title: Pink, Blue and You! Questions for Kids About Gender Steriotypes
Type of Material: Non-fiction children’s picture book
Specific objection(s) to material including specific page(s) or instances:
1. On pages 7-8 things take a creepy turn showing a parent shaming a child for playing with dolls.
2. On pages 9-10 the book indicates that the child might not be a boy or a girl or both a boy and a girl. This is incredibly confusing to a child learning to categorize her world.
3. On pages 11-12 the book defines “gender identity” as how you feel inside. A boy could be born a boy, but feel like a girl and so on. This contradicts the first four pages where the author seems to say that these things don’t mean anything about gender.
4. On pages 13-14 preferred pronouns are introduced including the singular “they.”
5. Pages 15-16 are extremely divisive, implying that those who don’t use preferred pronouns are disrespectful to the point of not caring about the person’s safety.
6. Pages 19-20 begin discussing prevention of same-sex partners loving each other, and shouldn’t everyone be allowed to love who they want? If anyone in our community is worried about gay families, they are certainly in the minority. Remember this book was written for children ages 4-8. This discussion seems inappropriate for this age group.
7. Pages 23-24 shares outdated information. Women are able to work in high level positions as CEOs. We have a woman vice president. Men are not discouraged from getting nursing degrees or becoming teachers, to say so is completely ridiculous, even here in the south. This is just more propaganda to stir up the next generation of victims.
What was good about the material? On the first four pages the author shows different toys and interests and asks if some are for boys and some are for girls. I’m not sure if we need a book to discuss this with our kids, but it’s nice that kids can see that girls can play with dinosaurs and boys can practice fathering a doll. The author could be less dramatic and negative, however.
Are you considering the material as a whole? Yes, obviously, I have discussed almost every page.
Have you read any reviews on this material? Why yes, I have. In fact, I read a Kirkus Review and a School Library Journal review. I hope the library doesn’t base their purchases off of these reviews because these journals are full of woke nonsense. I also READ THE BOOK, and as an intelligent, educated citizen, I could see that this is propaganda for grooming children.
How did this material come to your attention? I read about it on the substack, Two Moms and Some Books. You should read it, these ladies have some great ideas!
What would you like the library to do about this material?
1. Move it to the adult section. This material is not for kids and should not be picked up by kids. Parents can pick it up from the adult section if they want it.
2. Move it to a high shelf out of reach of children with a “controversial material” label.
3. Move it behind the librarian’s desk for request.
4. Label with a “controversial material” label so parents know what they are getting into.
Requester Represents: Individual: yes Organization: _____ Other: ______
Request initiated by (please print): Your name goes here.
The rest of the form is self-explanatory. If you don’t have a library card, get one the day you turn it in and write it on the form. You can turn the form into any library, and it covers every single copy of the book you are asking the committee to reconsider.