Superintendent mental eval: gaps in reasoning, part I

Superintendent Paul Freeman makes the case for keeping explicit library books — and critiquing the experts — an embarrassingly weak one. We’ll examine Freeman’s arguments as he writes to parents in “Our Direction” from his desk.

He writes, “In recent weeks some Guilford residents and GPS parents have raised concerns about books housed in our Guilford High School and Adams Middle School libraries. While much of this concern has been voiced only on social media, at the March 13th BOE meeting some community members and parents did address the Board and shared concerns related to specific texts. Local press has covered the request to remove books. While some requested that the books be removed from our stacks, others suggested that the schools should take steps to monitor student access, limit access, or in some way ensure that children of parents who object to those texts never come into contact with them.

An equal number spoke in favor of keeping the texts and not removing books from our shelves at the BOE meeting on the 13th. And beyond the comments shared at the meeting, the Board received 29 emails related to these texts and this topic, two of which sought removal of the books, and 27 that encouraged the Board to maintain the texts, and free access to texts, in our school libraries.”

Note here that Freeman bases his thought train pro or con, on the reception of 29 emails: 27 in favor, 2 against. He has not pro-actively sought parental input, and we have no way of verifying if the number 29 is really true or not.

He continues, “Two of the books referenced in the social media discussion and at the….meeting (Flamer and Lawn Boy), deal with themes of coming of age, sexual identity, and resilience in the face of bullying. These titles are only available in our high school library. A third (It’s Perfectly Normal), available in the Adams library, deals more clinically with the effects of puberty.

To be clear, all three texts contain explicit language and situations, some of which were quoted by those who spoke at the BOE meeting. To be fair, however, other texts in our collection contain similarly explicit language and situations and have never been challenged. These books are not unusual in middle or high school libraries. They currently reside in most school and public libraries across the state. One is a recent nominee for a Nutmeg Book Award and has been widely praised by critics. These texts are available for independent reading, not for use in classrooms or required reading in any way. They are included in our public, school library collections only.”

Here Freeman presents 4 extremely weak defenses in favor of the books.

“Defense” 1: “….other texts in our collection contain similarly explicit language and situations and have never been challenged.”

Evaluation: there are many other explicit books that no one said a peep about. Paul Freeman believes you must name every single pornographic book for parent concerns to be legitimate; this equates to listing all porn sites to prove you are concerned about porn.

“Defense” 2: “These books are not unusual in middle or high school libraries. They currently reside in most school and public libraries across the state.”

Evaluation: this hearkens back to Paul’s peer pressure days: “Everyone’s doing it!” So, what’s the big deal, Freeman concludes.

“Defense” 3: “One is a recent nominee for a Nutmeg Book Award and has been widely praised by critics.”

Evaluation: Freeman may be suffering here from Delusional Disorder. This means that he doesn’t yet realize most people have lost trust in the experts and institutions he clings to like a sea-faring barnacle.

Freeman’s mind has been fossilized into “but the experts! the critics!”, still believing that a vast majority regard them with any respect. Try not to laugh too hard.

“Defense” 4: “These texts are available for independent reading, not for use in classrooms or required reading in any way. They are included in our public, school library collections only.”

Evaluation: this is a bit like saying, “Well it’s not REQUIRED, but only the town of Guilford or maybe the public at large can access these books.”

Imagine Paul Freeman wanting to keep a deep secret, and then contacting the Guilford Courier. “Well, only the whole town knows, so no big deal!”

Part II: http://thectltribune.com/2023/04/18/superintendent-mental-eval-gaps-in-reasoning-part-ii/

Source: https://guilfordps.entest.org/ourdirection/archive/march2023.jsp