Philip Pullman, Michael Rosen and Francesca Simon lobby government
A high-profile group of children’s authors, publishers, teachers and librarians is calling on the government to make school libraries statutory. Signatories to a petition to Number 10 include Philip Pullman, Horrid Henry creator Francesca Simon and former children’s laureate Michael Rosen, as well as the general secretary of the National Union of Teachers Christine Blower, Dave Prentis, general secretary of Unison, top children’s publishers and the directors of a raft of youth library associations.
The campaign’s supporters, who also include the Carnegie medal winners Mal Peet and Beverley Naidoo, are concerned that while prisoners have the statutory right to a library, schoolchildren do not, and they believe it is essential that children get the habit of reading for pleasure.
Only half of all secondary schools have a full-time librarian, they say, and only 28% have a qualified librarian.
Last November Pullman told a comprehensive school in Chesterfield that it would become “a byword for Philistinism and ignorance” if it went ahead with plans to close its school library.
I have just signed the petition myself, if you too feel strongly about this cause then go to http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/literacy/?showall=1#detail and give your support.
Posted: July 2nd, 2009
Author: Lee
Categories: Philip Pullman
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