Library bucks extreme religious right; will keep linking to "immoral" Teenwire.com site

[Bluebear]

Kai Tao, associate director of Planned Parenthood in Chicago, claimed the Teenwire site is medically accurate, mentions alternatives to abortion including abstinence, and offers information on a range of health topics aside from teen sexuality.

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July 16, 2008

The Batavia Public Library Board of Trustees voted 4-2 to continue linking to the Planned Parenthood Web site Teenwire.com from the library's site, but to move it from the Young Adult to the Web Reference page.

Trustees Doug Sullivan and Rich Henders voted against the motion because they were in favor of retaining the Teenwire site link in the Young Adult section.

The vote followed a public hearing Tuesday night at which about 150 people showed up to air their opinions on the matter.

Those opposed cited the inaccuracy of Planned Parenthood information, inappropriate images that could be viewed by young children, implied promotion of Planned Parenthood ideology, and finally, not offering an alternative teen pregnancy link on the library's Web page.

"I'm trying to keep my children going down a moral road, and if a legitimate organization like the Batavia Library is promoting this site, it's undermining what I'm trying to do at home," said Laura Bretson.

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/bataviasun/news/1058127,2_1_AU16_BATLIB_S1.article

[coffeenap]

1. Teenwire is a great site--I have encouraged my daughter to

tell her friends about it since many of them won't talk to their parents about these subjects, and are in need of FACTS!

Edited to add that Coolnurse.com is also really truthful and useful.

[Bluebear]

2. So. You are not trying to keep her going down a moral road.

:sarcasm:

[coffeenap]

4. Well, there are curves in my moral road, lol. Hope she can

negotiate them effectively!!! ;-)

[gatorboy]

3. An alternative teen pregnancy link?

What would that be? www.Chastity belts.com?

[coffeenap]

5. I sent my daughter there too!!!!!!!! (jk--but it is funny...) nt

[gatorboy]

7. D'oh! I didn't that would actually take you somewhere.

:evilgrin:

[KansDem]

6. "...inappropriate images that could be viewed by young children" (graphic)

You mean like this one?

[MuseRider]

8. I love librarians.

I went to speak to our library Board of Trustees, mostly made up of librarians but loaded recently with members of a certain church, when they were asked to put all the "nasty (many GLBT) books in a special room (would have needed to be a big room because anything from breasts to whatever was included). The librarians assured me afterwards that they had no intention of making information hard to get, it was their job to see that people, even children, had access to information.

:hug: your librarians!

[Bluebear]

9. Always a line of defense for our freedom.

Thank you librarians!!!