Thursday, October 23, 2008

Why Ethics Matter



















New York City taxpayers can rest a little bit easier knowing rogue librarians are kept ethically in check:
For 39 years as an educator, Robert Grandt has been promoting other people’s books. So this year, when his daughter helped create a graphic novel of Macbeth of which he was mighty proud, Mr. Grandt could not resist bragging a little in the newsletter he distributes as librarian at Brooklyn Technical High School.

“Best New Book: Grandt, Eve, Shakespeare’s Macbeth — The Manga Edition,” he wrote under the heading Grandt’s Picks.
Outrageous. This story perfectly illustrates why ethics matter. If this librarian is allowed to promote a book on Shakespeare in a public library, what else might he promote? Colorful adaptations of our Constitution that will make history come alive? No thank you. This is a slippery slope.

The point is, it's nice to know there's at least one city in this great nation where public servants are held accountable for their transgressions, where librarians are fined $500 for abusing our trust.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey, I love your photos....they are really nice...

Unknown said...

Nice. Very nice. Not only do I live in a city where politicians can scoff at the will of the general public, but I work right across the street from Brooklyn Tech, so this story really hits close to home (in a "I don't really know anyone who goes to that school nor do I personally know any elected officials" sort of way).

Butternut said...

Our officials only get in trouble if they have gay sex in public. "Wide Stance" is acceptable as an excuse, however. I mean, heh, we've all been there right?

How come you aren't plugging your baby cookbook anymore, Laura? They are so tasty!

Organic Baby Cookbook

Laura Swisher said...

I have a new cookbook coming out: Organic Baby Diet. I'll let you know when it's in stores.