carnyfolk5
New Blood
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2007
- Messages
- 2
Okay, I saw this story in the paper and I just needed to share it (I've tried searching the for this story through the forums. I didn't find anything, but just in case, if I'm repeating anything...my apologies).
What follows is a story out of my home state, South Carolina. It's about a children's summer reading program that was cancelled after a group objected to its featuring books and/or programs on such things as palm reading and tarot cards and such. The interesting thing? Skeptics aren't to be blamed for this one, local chuches are. You'll just have to read it to find out. It's kinda like Mad Magazine's Spy vs. Spy...let's call this Woo vs. Woo.
Here's the article:
Greenville News, The (SC)
June 7, 2007
Author: Ginny Johnson
Estimated printed pages: 2
By Ginny Johnson
STAFF WRITER
The threat of protesters marching in front of Pickens County library branches influenced officials' decision to cancel a youth summer reading program.
"They were talking about picketing the library," said Marguerite Keenan, library system director. "I have little children coming in here and to have to walk through a gauntlet like that just sounded horrible."
The library canceled its "You Never Know at Your Library" summer mystery and suspense series for students in grades 5 and up.
The Rev. David Gallamore of Rock Springs Baptist Church in Easley said he didn't object to the summer series, only the segment that focused on the occult.
Parents objected to some of the seven-week program's content, which included palmistry and tarot card reading. The program also included sessions on urban legends, T-shirt tie-dying, scrapbooking and similar activities.
"We weren't against the reading program itself at all," Gallamore said. "We just take the stand that we don't live life by chance or by looking at the signs, but that our life is in God's hands and he is in charge of what takes place."
He said he was concerned about the session planned for June 14 that included astrology, palmistry, numerology and tarot card reading.
"I was under the understanding that that session was the only one that had been canceled," he said.
Numerous phone calls and e-mails criticized the program, saying it was "promoting witchcraft and teaching other religions," Keenan said.
"We're not teaching any religions," she said. "We have information about religion in the library. But that is not part of the program. The programs were about tie-dying shirts, urban legends, ghost stories, and they were about Zen gardens and balance with yoga."
Library staff chose the elements of the summer series based on similar programs at other libraries nationwide and by popular demand, said Ann Szypulski, library system public services manager.
"The people who come have expressed an interest in it, people who have attended our young adult programs in the past," Szypulski said.
Keenan also said many topics came about because of "children requesting programs like these."
The library will host the final event scheduled for the program, the Pizza Taste-Off slated for July 26.
"We tried to salvage the one thing that had nothing to do with specific programs, the pizza party," Keenan said. "We're going to have a pizza taste-off and vote on their best pizza."
What follows is a story out of my home state, South Carolina. It's about a children's summer reading program that was cancelled after a group objected to its featuring books and/or programs on such things as palm reading and tarot cards and such. The interesting thing? Skeptics aren't to be blamed for this one, local chuches are. You'll just have to read it to find out. It's kinda like Mad Magazine's Spy vs. Spy...let's call this Woo vs. Woo.
Here's the article:
Concerns about occult stop Pickens reading program
Greenville News, The (SC)
June 7, 2007
Author: Ginny Johnson
Estimated printed pages: 2
By Ginny Johnson
STAFF WRITER
The threat of protesters marching in front of Pickens County library branches influenced officials' decision to cancel a youth summer reading program.
"They were talking about picketing the library," said Marguerite Keenan, library system director. "I have little children coming in here and to have to walk through a gauntlet like that just sounded horrible."
The library canceled its "You Never Know at Your Library" summer mystery and suspense series for students in grades 5 and up.
The Rev. David Gallamore of Rock Springs Baptist Church in Easley said he didn't object to the summer series, only the segment that focused on the occult.
Parents objected to some of the seven-week program's content, which included palmistry and tarot card reading. The program also included sessions on urban legends, T-shirt tie-dying, scrapbooking and similar activities.
"We weren't against the reading program itself at all," Gallamore said. "We just take the stand that we don't live life by chance or by looking at the signs, but that our life is in God's hands and he is in charge of what takes place."
He said he was concerned about the session planned for June 14 that included astrology, palmistry, numerology and tarot card reading.
"I was under the understanding that that session was the only one that had been canceled," he said.
Numerous phone calls and e-mails criticized the program, saying it was "promoting witchcraft and teaching other religions," Keenan said.
"We're not teaching any religions," she said. "We have information about religion in the library. But that is not part of the program. The programs were about tie-dying shirts, urban legends, ghost stories, and they were about Zen gardens and balance with yoga."
Library staff chose the elements of the summer series based on similar programs at other libraries nationwide and by popular demand, said Ann Szypulski, library system public services manager.
"The people who come have expressed an interest in it, people who have attended our young adult programs in the past," Szypulski said.
Keenan also said many topics came about because of "children requesting programs like these."
The library will host the final event scheduled for the program, the Pizza Taste-Off slated for July 26.
"We tried to salvage the one thing that had nothing to do with specific programs, the pizza party," Keenan said. "We're going to have a pizza taste-off and vote on their best pizza."
.