We’re cutting enrichment from the lives of Scottsdale children

I feel obligated as a reading specialist to speak to the Scottsdale City Council DEI Transition document, sent to all city employees. The document is very distressing, but I will highlight one aspect that applies to the library.

I quote, “Under ‘Scottsdale for All’ branding, the Scottsdale Public Library offered opportunities for children up to 5 years to ‘Listen to stories and participate in finger plays, music and rhyming activities designed to promote diversity, equity and inclusion.’ The library will no longer be used; future programming will focus on special populations (visually impaired, etc.).”

Reading to children not only helps build language skills, but it helps children learn about the world around them. Multicultural books dispel misconceptions and inaccurate stereotypes of children of a different culture. It increases respect towards people of different backgrounds and instills more cultural awareness.

Quality books can help children understand people who don’t share their race, religion or socio-economic status; they teach empathy, which is so lacking in our grown-up world today.

Please do not stop enriching the lives of Scottsdale’s littlest residents.

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