I just want to warn everyone to please, please, make sure that your children do not attend the public library on their own. Do not let them have their own library card. I know of someones teenage son, who has been going to library and unfortunately, one time, checked out very inappropriate reading material. The cover gave no clue to what would be inside. The father found the book his son’s room, while looking for something he misplaced. He could not believe it. This was a good boy and his parents trusted him to make the right decisions on his reading materal. He has parents are very involved with their children. It was very upsetting. All it takes is one look to undo everything. It looked like an innocent adventure book, unfortunately, it had the worst pervertions in it. When asked how he picked it up, he said it was in the young adult section.
The parents spoke with their Rabbi. He suggested not to let the childen read or bring home any secular material, because, once the appetite is whet, it becomes insatiable. It is the parents responblity to make sure that the children have reading material in accordance with proper jewish ethics and beliefs.
It just so happened, min Ha’Shamayim, that my childrens school, also discussed the public library and said that the children should not attend the library whatsover. But besides inappropriate reading material, the yeshiva warned about the possible mingling of teenagers and the children would have access to the computers.