Proposal pushes Michigan school librarians to ‘advance racial and social justice’
February 9, 2024
The Michigan Department of Education requests public comment on draft revisions to the state’s school librarian standards, expanding what future librarians would learn to include some advocacy for social and racial justice.
The new proposed standards would expand the state’s expectations for librarian preparation programs to include the American Library Association’s Code of Ethics, which was not in previous versions of the standards.
The revisions come as state library associations across the country have opted to leave the American Library Association, citing ideological differences over book removals and content moderation.
On Tuesday, for example, Alabama’s statewide library association voted to leave the ALA over concerns surrounding sexually explicit content, according to Advance Local. A number of other states have left the national organization over similar concerns.
According to a letter from the Michigan Department of Education, the proposed standards would replace Michigan’s current ones adopted by the State Board of Education in 2012.