Gay Penguins , a Reflection

A picture book about two male penguins raising a baby penguin is getting a chilly reception among some parents in this village who worry about the book's availability to elementary students and the reluctance of administrators to restrict access to it.

The concerns are the latest involving "And Tango Makes Three," the illustrated children's book based on a true story of two male penguins Roy and Silo in New York City's Central Park Zoo who adopted a fertilized egg and raised the chick as their own.

Complaining about the book's homosexual undertones, some parents of Shiloh Elementary School students believe the book available to be checked out of the school's library in this 11,000-resident town 20 miles east of St. Louis tackles topics their young children aren't ready to handle.

Their request: Move the book to the library's regular shelves and restrict it to a section for mature issues, perhaps even requiring parental permission before their child can check it out.

At least for now, the district's chief isn't budging. Though a panel she appointed suggested the book be moved and require parental permission before it is checked out, Superintendent Jennifer Filyaw says "And Tango Makes Three" will stay put at the advice of the district's attorney, who says moving it might be legally challengeable censorship.

Filyaw considers the book "adorable" and age appropriate, written for children ages 4 to 8.

"My feeling is that a library is to serve an entire population," Filyaw said. "It means you represent different families in a society different religions, different beliefs. That's the role of a school library."

Lilly Del Pinto thought the book looked charming when her 5-year-old daughter a kindergartner at Shiloh Elementary brought it home in September. Finding the watercolor illustrations "pretty and beautiful," Del Pinto said she was halfway through reading the book to her daughter "when the zookeeper said the two penguins must be in love,"

Perhaps there should be more books like this that reflect life's matters , such as
"Why Can't Mr. Fork and Mrs. Electrical Outlet be friends?" or "The Attention Deficit Disorder foundation present wildlife and other...hey lets go play with our bikes".

Parents really need to lighten up , seriously

xoxo