Should some books be banned from school libraries?

    Are there Harry Potter books in your school library? Many kids all over the world are reading J. K. Rowling's books in school. But some parents think their children shouldn't be able to find those and other books in school libraries. Should school libraries keep books that some parents don't approve of? Should they take those books off the shelves? All over the country, schools are wrestling with those questions.

    It's true that some hold their argument that some books should be banned from school libraries! "We need certain limits," said one student in Denver, Colorado. He said some books have no place in school libraries. Many people believe that books that contain violence or bad words shouldn't be in schools. Some people want the Harry Potter books removed because they contain talk about wizards and magic.

    Most parents know what's good for kids. They have a right to decide which books should or should not be in school libraries.

    Books should meet certain standards before they are put in schools. Is this a good book for kids to read? Is it full of violence? Does it contain bad words or ideas kids shouldn't learn about? If a book is not good for all kids, it should not be in a school library. Most parents don't have time to find out everything their kids read. They should be able to trust schools to do that for them.

    On the other hand, some believe that books should not be banned from school libraries! "Parents should decide what their own kids read," said Natalie Nicol, of Denver, Colorado. But other parents shouldn't make that choice for them. Many experts say that it's the parents' job, not the school's job, to check out what their kids are reading. If they don't like a book, they should not let their kids read it.

    Why should a few parents stop kids from reading stories like the Harry Potter series? Kids should be able to check out books their parents think are OK to read. Many schools let kids borrow certain books if they have a signed paper from a parent. That works fine. A parent doesn't sign the paper if he or she doesn't want the child to read the book. Other kids can read the books if they have permission.

    Some books are not OK for all kids to read. But if more adults were careful about what their own kids read, they wouldn't have to ban books from the library.

Holding Parents Responsible—An Unfair Punishment

    The rise in teen crime suggests that some parents are failing at their parental tasks. To correct the problem, lawmakers in some states require parents to serve jail time. They hope that this punishment will motivate parents to take their responsibilities seriously.

    Despite public support for parental responsibility laws, many people think that the laws are unfair. They suggest that parents should not be punished for the criminal acts of their children, unless it can be shown there is a related fault on the parents' part. For example, if young teenagers are arrested for drinking alcohol supplied by parents, then parents should be held responsible because they helped the teenagers break the law. People who oppose parental responsibility laws also believe that punishing parents is unlikely to create a change in the kids' behavior. These people argue that parents may not be at fault. The children of good parents can fall in with the wrong kids and get into trouble, they say. Worse yet, if mom is in jail, there may be no one at all to control her kid. That lack of control may then lead to more crime.

    The unfortunate fact is that jailing a mom or dad punishes the rest of the family. The jailed parent cannot work to help feed the family or pay the rent. A parent who is sent to jail for the crimes of a teenager may also be fired from a job for missing too much work. Furthermore, little evidence exists to support the idea that the threat of punishment improves a parents' ability to control a teenager. The problem is that some teens cannot be controlled by their parents, even if the parents try hard to control them. These struggling parents are not ignoring their parental responsibilities. Opponents of parental responsibility laws say that parents who are in this situation need help, not a jail sentence.

    A class pet can be an invaluable experience for elementary school children. The pet can teach responsibility, build a connection to the classroom, serve as a motivator, and be something for the children to love. If the teacher is willing to take on the added responsibility of caring for an animal in addition to all of the children in the classroom, a class pet can be a wonderful addition to a class.

    Many factors need to be taken into consideration when choosing a class pet. It cannot be too big, as classrooms generally have limited space. Cost should also be considered since the teacher will likely have to pay for the pet, its food and its habitat. It must also be somewhat hardy (耐寒的). Each particular type of animal has its advantages and disadvantages, and a teacher must weigh these and make a decision about which one is right for his or her class.

    Birds are physically more delicate (娇养) than many other animals. They will not survive in drafts (气流) and need a somewhat regulated temperature in their environment. Many birds are quite social and do best with other birds or when being handled routinely by people who can be appropriate with them. Young children are not likely to have the skill to handle a bird without harming it, making it a poor choice for a class pet.

    Some reptiles are beautiful to look at but are delicate, afraid of cold, light sensitivity or poisonous and shouldn't be handled by children. Others are more hardy but require expensive habitats. Most snakes eat rats and mice, which may be a frightening thing for small children to witness.

    A hardy fish, such as a betta, is a good low-cost option for a class pet. They are obviously not huggable or able to be caught by children. Besides, they are inexpensive, have relatively long life spans, and can be kept in a simple fish bowl.

    Sadness and depression?

    Sadness is normal human emotion that everyone experiences at some time. A number of events can leave people feeling sad or unhappy, such as the loss or absence of a loved one, divorce, loss of job or income, financial trouble, issues at home, or social anxiety.

    Failing an exam, not getting a job, or other disappointing events can also trigger sadness.

    However, a person who is sad can usually find some relief from crying, venting, or talking out frustrations. This is because sadness is more likely to be linked to a specific trigger.

    Sadness usually passes with time. If it does not pass, or if the person become unable to function normally, this could be a sign of depression. If symptoms worsen or last longer than 2 weeks, the person should talk to their doctor.

    Depression is a mental disorder that affects every part of a person's feelings and perception. It affects behaviors and attitudes and can affect people of any gender or age.

    In 2015 around 16.1 million people aged 18 years or above in the U. S. had experienced at least one major depressive episode in the last year. This represented 6.7 percent of all American adults. Symptoms include feelings of discouragement, sadness, hopelessness, a lack of motivation, and a loss of interest in activities that are normally enjoyable. In severe cases, the person may think about or attempt suicide.

    The person may no longer feel like spending time with family or friends. They may stop pursuing their hobbies and feel unable to go to work or school.

    Daily habits may change unexpectedly and without reason. A person with depression may find it difficult to continue doing the things they normally enjoy.

    If these feelings of doubt last more than 2 weeks, a health-care professional may diagnose the person with major depressive disorder (MDD).

    Unlike sadness, depression can leave a person struggling to express their feelings. If the person tries to release the stress, the overpowering feelings and negative thoughts can prevent them from building themselves up again.

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    Until last year, the saddest thing of my life was that my wife Alice and I had no children. So we always invited all the children in our street to our house for Christmas breakfast.

    Last year, Alice died. I was very sad and decided not to invite the children for Christmas breakfast. But Kathy and Peter, my next door neighbors, asked me to join them for dinner on Christmas Eve.

    As soon as I arrived, Kathy asked me," Do you have any milk at your house?" "Yes," I replied. "If you need some, I'll go and get it right away."

    "Oh, that's OK. Come and sit down* Just give Peter the key and let him get it." said Kathy. Then I soon joined in the children's laughing and running. Before I knew it, Peter came back with a bottle of milk in his hand.

    The smell of the meal filled the room. We sat together and enjoyed the wonderful moment. Time flew between jokes. After a happy dinner, I said goodbye to them. With colorful and beautiful holiday lights shining outside, I headed home.

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    When I opened my door, I could hardly believe my eyes.