So, in an Idaho where Tom Luna's legislation is now law -- due to trailer bills, the legislation was put into law immediately -- I must ask: what is the role of the teacher librarian in today's public schools?
Teacher librarians bloat the numbers of certified staff members, i.e. as a certified teacher with no (or few) students attached to me since in effect I serve the entire student body, our average class sizes look lower than they really are. Can districts afford to keep certified librarians in their secondary schools, even though accreditation standards say they are required?
Some districts have already decided to tiptoe around the standards: perhaps someone on staff is certified in library science but is NOT acting as a librarian; still, the district can say they have a certified media specialist on staff, then skirt the law and hire a cheaper paraprofessional to simply monitor the library, not teach information literacy.
Other districts have employed a district-wide library supervisor, then chosen to employ classified paraprofessionals in their libraries. Again, this skirts the intent of the law.
Here's my main concern: if students will have personal computing devices, and as more & more of our instruction (and information) is online, who is the real guide for students' internet adventures? Classroom teachers are experts at their own subject-area content, but they are not masters of online information resources.
Teacher librarians are the staff members most qualified to help teach students best search strategies, internet etiquette aka "netiquette," responsible use, and strategic online reading skills. Who will teach them the difference between opinion and fact, bias and relevance versus neutrality, if teacher librarians are out of a job? Who can best help them navigate the online jungle? Information literacy is critical in online instruction!
Ironically, the same laws that give students more online exposure may, in reality, give them less online guidance.
