Apparently my opinion isn't good enough!

[YouAreTheFocus]

During the last Better World books sale, I ordered 20 books for my DC's preschool classroom. I spent quite awhile on the website picking out the titles to get. When I got the box I skimmed through them all to see if I liked them or not. There were 3 I didn't care for so put those aside. DH brought the others in last week, and that day the teacher read one at circle time. Yesterday he was told all of the books had been given to another parent to review & approve. Maybe I shouldn't be annoyed about this, but it is just rubbing me the wrong way. Why do the books I picked & reviewed have to be reviewed by another parent? Do all books have to be reviewed by two parents (this seems crazy). Not to mention, DH & I dislike most of the books they have in the room, as there are very few story books--the majority are nonfiction with many depicting war scenes, etc. I'm also wondering what will become of my books if the other parent rejects them (along with wondering if/why s/he gets the final say).

[wellyes]

You donated books and the school staff gave them to another parent to approve? Huh? I can see having another set of eyes on the books before putting them out for kids - but - I'm perplexed why the classroom teachers weren't good enough for this task. It would seem to me to be part of their day-to-day duties.

[YouAreTheFocus]

Yeah, Idk, it is weird. Somehow this parent was chosen as the official book reviewer. Unfortunately many of us don't agree with her taste. It also irks me b/c her child is leaving in a month, and then the rest of us will be left with the crappy books she approved. Perhaps I can offer my books up for re-review at that time I kind of want to ask the teacher about this whole thing at pick up, but I feel like I will just come of as defensive.

[boolady]

And what's she reviewing them for? Appropriate content? Appropriate level for age? Does she have some sort of expertise or training in this? Otherwise, I'd want to know why this ability to censor what is in the classroom library has been vested in one particular parent. I find it awfully strange, tbh.

[ett]

This is very strange. Why don't the teachers review the books? If they're qualified to teach in the classroom, they should be qualified to review the books.

[trales]

I am still struggling with the idea that you donated books to the teachers room and she is delegating to some other parent, rather than being gracious, accepting the books, and slowly checking them out herself. The whole thing is really strange.

[PZMommy]

That is crazy! If books are donated to my classroom, I browse them and then add them to my shelf. I wouldn't trust another parent to review them.