Top Five Strategies for Dealing with Controversial Texts

These are lessons I've learned the hard way from teaching first-year university composition and literature courses and from facilitating book group discussions. I presented these strategies at the Children and Youth Conference for Librarians in Fort Worth, Texas, on 10 August 2007.



1. Prepare the ground. Not all readers like surprises. Give them some idea of what to expect. Let them know if the text you're presenting contains profanity, violence, sexually explicit scenes, or other offensive or distressing elements; don't let these come as a shock.

2. Give the reader a choice. Nobody likes being forced to read a book, particularly when that book may be offensive and disturbing. Suggest, encourage, recommend, but leave the reader room to make his or her own decisions.

3. Don't just teach the text; teach the controversy. Don't pretend that the controversy doesn't exist or assume that any criticism of the text must be invalid. Be respectful, and try to create a safe space for discussion. Exploring the debate with young readers gives them practice in explaining and defending their own reading choices.

4. Choose your battles. Why is this text important to you? Don't make the mistake of presenting a text simply because it is controversial or because everyone else is doing it (peer pressure doesn't end in high school, folks). If you have serious doubts about a text, don't push it; you won't be doing yourself, your readers, or the author any favors. Save your energy for the texts you value and believe in.

5. Take responsibility for mistakes. Perhaps you've misjudged the text or your readers. For example, let's say you discover something objectionable about a book you scheduled, without reading it first, for your teen-and-tween book group. Don't get defensive and don't make excuses. Waste no time in apologizing to the readers for the mistake, and move on.

Bonus lesson: If you do make a mistake, don't freak out or beat yourself up too much. Young readers aren't always as sensitive and sharp-eyed as the adults who care about them; odds are good you haven't scarred anyone for life.