(Note: The Watertown Board of Library Trustees will meet Thursday, July 31 at 7 p.m. at Watertown Middle School. The agenda includes a statement of policy in response to feedback on the suggested summer reading list read by the Board Chair.)
Dear Kim Long (Hewitt), Library Director and Board of Trustees,
I’m writing about the pressure the library faces to remove the children’s book, “A Map for Falasteen: A Palestinian Child’s Search for Home.” I hope the library resists this pressure and lets parents and children make their own choices of reading material and draw their own conclusions.
This issue matters greatly to me for two reasons, my connections with Israel-Palestine and my connections with Watertown. I have been many times to the West Bank and Gaza and most parts of Israel. To deny Israeli residents — some 20% of Israeli citizens living in Israel are Palestinian — recognition thru a map is a serious abuse of dignity and reality, weakening the sense of self. And when children in our country are not allowed to learn how the absence of a map of the territory of another people degrades the population is another insult to truth. Imagine, some authority decides to remove all reference to Watertown on regional maps and along with that deny the existence of Watertown people. What effect would this have on Watertown’s residents?
Secondly, I have a long personal connection with the Watertown library, living in Watertown from 1973 to 1989 at 14 Center Street, once married to LB still living in Watertown, and brought first our children KD and JS regularly to the library and now LB brings our grandchildren there.
For many years I was a library volunteer, managing the free public darkroom. And I’ve had many photography exhibits in the library. What if I were to apply for an exhibit of my Palestine photographs. What would be the library’s response if some parties resist this, even tho free speech is one of our most treasured national rights?
— Skip Schiel
Cambridge, Mass.
I support keeping “A Map for Falasteen: A Palestinian Child’s Search for Home” in the library.
I was an art book and international book bookseller for thirty years and a Watertown Library Trustee for eight years (leaving my spot to younger candidates).
Sheppard Ferguson
Bravo to you Skip. I didn’t know that this was happening and I live in Watertown. Thank you for always advocating for human rights and justice for all. I stand with you 100%
May someone explain why there is opposition to have this book in the library? What are the arguments for it and from whom? Are those in favor [of the book] support a “two-state solution”. We need more information here.
Below is what I could find searching the web from 5% of readers with rather negative views (95% had positive reviews):
“ Piece of arab propaganda pretending to be a children’s book. Absolute rubbish. As if you can erase millenia of history with pretty pictures. Shows very clearly what the Arab wish for Israel is with their beautiful two-page map of “Palestine”.
“Under the disguise of a children’s book, this book totally erases the history and the State of Israel. Inaccurate from the start, this book will sow seeds of hate for its young readers”
By the way, buying the book would cost $12.30.
If it’s just part of the collection, of course the library should keep it. If it’s being considered as recommended or required reading, not so fast. Indoctrination is not education.
Israel is erased from many maps all over the world, and it’s been a sovereign state for 77 years. Palestine has never existed, except as a Roman colony, Ottoman holding, or British Mandate. If the WPL wants to wade (more like belly flop) into the murky waters of Middle East history and politics, good luck. I can recommend at least fifty books, though I can’t swear they’re age appropriate for four-year-olds. But I’ll bet it wouldn’t be hard to find one that is. Otherwise, keep the book, drop the read-along. We all agree on teaching our children to be fair.
I didn’t know about the pressure to remove the book.. I would like to know more about it. Who is objecting to the book. Why? What is the library’s collection policy that covers this sort of controversy?
It sounds pretty concerning.