A6 - Summary of Shhh!! No Opinions in the Library

In her article "Shhh!! No Opinions in the Library," Amanda Vender takes on the issue of censorship in public libraries—specifically when it comes to “political” content aimed at kids. She shares the story of IndyKids, a progressive newspaper she co-founded that’s designed to help young readers (grades 4 to 7) understand and think critically about current events. Despite that mission, many public libraries, especially in New York, refused to carry it, claiming it was “too political” or not “balanced” enough.

Vender points out a pretty glaring double standard here. While IndyKids was turned away, other publications like Boys’ Life (from the Boy Scouts of America) and American Girl were welcomed without issue. This is odd, considering Boys’ Life featured things like Bible stories and gun ads, and American Girl focused heavily on fashion and beauty. Still, librarians didn’t see those as political—but IndyKids, with its focus on social justice, apparently crossed a line. Vender argues this goes against the American Library Association’s own principles, which say libraries should offer a wide range of viewpoints and not exclude content based on political or ideological disagreement.

A big point in the article is that truly “unbiased” news doesn’t really exist—every publication has a perspective, whether it admits it or not. IndyKids is open about its progressive lean, aiming to amplify voices that are often left out of mainstream media. On the flip side, many mainstream kids' publications claim to be neutral, but tend to support the status quo—favoring corporate or government viewpoints and ignoring more critical or alternative perspectives. Vender brings up examples like Scholastic News, which covered Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s resignation by highlighting President Obama’s reaction, without mentioning the U.S.’s longtime support of Mubarak’s regime. IndyKids, by contrast, included the voices of Egyptian children.

In the end, Vender argues that kids deserve access to a free and diverse press. While adults often think they’re protecting children by filtering out the “hard stuff,” plenty of young readers actually want to understand the world around them. IndyKids’ growing popularity shows that kids are ready for thoughtful, honest coverage of real issues—they just need adults to stop gatekeeping what’s “appropriate.”