tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956989639073843954.post6504776333762684753..comments2024-03-21T05:30:03.220-04:00Comments on Science teacher: I'm boycotting Scholastic Books....doylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12901661320505882735noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956989639073843954.post-27328379827330454922010-02-18T06:23:46.192-05:002010-02-18T06:23:46.192-05:00I was at a huge book sale (used books that go for ...I was at a huge book sale (used books that go for about fifty cents a piece) with my friend Javi. He pointed something out to me as we perused the young adult section for our classroom:<br /><br />Find a banned book published by Scholastic. Find a real risky book. Did Scholastic publish "the Giver?" Nope. How about "Bridge to Terabithia?" Again, nope. <br /><br />In other words, any book that might make a young adult really think and think hard is not published by this company. <br /><br />Like anything "too big to fail" they are risk-averse on the social side and probably way to risky on the economic side. <br /><br />I'll step off my soapbox now.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10956056168256756705noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956989639073843954.post-82586432187604434512010-02-14T09:50:57.706-05:002010-02-14T09:50:57.706-05:00Dear John and Betty,
As always, I enjoy your word...Dear John and Betty,<br /><br />As always, I enjoy your words. Feel free to share your concerns with Anonymous#2 below.<br /><br /><br />Dear Anonymous#1<br /><br />Thanks for the great suggestions! <br /><br /><br />Dear Anonymous#2,<br /><br />An anonymous comment that "knows for certain that 'the people at the top' are dedicated to education and children first" hardly starts to deal with Scholastic's corporate behaviors.<br /><br />We keep making the same mistake over and over--the people are decent and fair and whatever, and meanwhile the corporate activity gets a free pass.<br /><br />It's a publicly owned company. It's primary mission now is profit--not necessarily a bad thing, mind you, but let's stop pretending that Maurice Robinson's vision supersedes the stakeholders.<br /><br />Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream company was wonderful when its founders ran the show--it became public, and the company subsequently broke the ideals of its founders (or so one of them claims--it's not like they were forced to take the company public).<br /><br />I did not attack the employees of Scholastic, and I appreciate your civil tone (even if you chose to post anonymously). Still, you do not speak to the heart of the matter.<br /><br />At any rate, I appreciate your take on this. The words of a blogger seen by 100 people on a good day can hardly compete with a company that can afford to pay folks over 150K simply to sit on their board.doylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12901661320505882735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956989639073843954.post-41355706439073297472010-02-14T09:13:50.398-05:002010-02-14T09:13:50.398-05:00Hi, Doyle,
I am sorry that you are boycotting Scho...Hi, Doyle,<br />I am sorry that you are boycotting Scholastic Books. I know for certain that the "people at the top" are dedicated to education and children first. The company was founded by Maurice Robinson, who started Scholasic by publishing high school newspapers in the northeast in the 1920s. He saw the company through the Depression -- no easy feat. His son is now the head of the company. My father started at Scholastic as a kid right out of college as a summer job. He stayed at Scholastic for over 40 years. <br /><br />Children's publishing is not an easy business. Most people don't go into it for the glory orfortune (which is pretty hit and miss and the profit margins tend to be small) -- they go into it because they love kids and care about education and what kids are reading. Most people are in publishing because they find it a calling. <br /><br />I think Scholastic has a good track record for that and their support of teachers with online resources is unparalled. I understand your concerns about marketing, and I want to assure you that from what I have seen and know, Scholastic is a decent and dedicated company whose heart and bottom line is in the right place.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956989639073843954.post-10755964875614893872010-02-13T19:44:24.828-05:002010-02-13T19:44:24.828-05:00I use Dover publications if I have to buy somethin...I use Dover publications if I have to buy something, but mostly I refer my students to Project Gutenberg, all the classics for free, and the modern student can read from a computer. The text to word readers can also read the pdf documents they produce. I've had international ELL students find on-line books in their own languages, and we use free translation programs to help us.<br />I too stopped purchase of Scholastic books a few years ago when I saw their marketing tactics, and their RIF behaviors. Any business which touts gathering charity gift money to supply products is totally unethical.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956989639073843954.post-1566208365634604792010-02-13T19:41:54.298-05:002010-02-13T19:41:54.298-05:00I wish someone would pay me $151,000 to sit. Talk ...I wish someone would pay me $151,000 to sit. Talk about a lot of fluff money on the top!Bettyhttp://bettyb.teacherlingo.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956989639073843954.post-89030008285829850202010-02-13T19:12:48.131-05:002010-02-13T19:12:48.131-05:00I lost my faith in the company (okay, I didn't...I lost my faith in the company (okay, I didn't have much) when they promoted "Reading Is Fundamental." It seems like a fun project - give kids books rather than bribing kids to read. But as I saw the huge Scholastic trucks roll into our parking lot, it began to feel like "sparity" (spending for charity). They sold more books, looked good for "giving away" books and members of our community paid for a good portion of the cost. <br /><br />Sketchy. <br /><br />How many of the RIF books were from other publishers? I have no idea. I know my students couldn't find "The Jungle" or "Aristotle's Ethics" or "This Side of Paradise" or even "The House on Mango Street" or "Night." None were available in the catalog.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10956056168256756705noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956989639073843954.post-13749949184109866812010-02-13T18:06:46.434-05:002010-02-13T18:06:46.434-05:00Dear Jason,
Great question, and the answer is eit...Dear Jason,<br /><br />Great question, and the answer is either no or not yet.<br /><br />It is easy to fall into an ethical paralysis, and even easier to ignore the whole issue. <br /><br />Perhaps the removal of Millot's post will reveal similar stories.<br /><br />At any rate, my tiny squeak of a protest won't change anything. A good squeak now and again, though, is good for the soul.doylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12901661320505882735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956989639073843954.post-58184318459914783312010-02-13T17:36:19.315-05:002010-02-13T17:36:19.315-05:00Have you picked a source for your future purchases...Have you picked a source for your future purchases--a source you would consider to be more ethical?Jasonhttp://whenfallsthecoliseum.com/about/jason-sterlace/noreply@blogger.com