Michigan e-Library Enables K-8 Kids Access to Sexually Explicit Content without Parental Consent
Attention Parents!!!!! Did you know that through the Michigan e-Library your child has access to sexually explicit books with no paper trail and no parental consent? Children as young as elementary school with a Chromebook can electronically view zillions of books.
The Michigan e-Library or MEL is used by both school libraries and public libraries to help facilitate inter- library book loans, information sharing, and access to e-books. But MEL is so much more than that. It is an incredible database that contains not only books, but magazine articles, electronic encyclopedia articles, essays, photos, maps, math resources, computer skills learning resources and so much more. It is like a mini-internet prepared for students by the Michigan Department of Education.
When students find an e-book they are interested in reading, with just a few clicks they have instant access. They can view almost any book that is available in e-format including numerous books that contain sexually explicit content. This is a not a local problem, but a state-wide issue. Here is what one parent in Grand Haven, MI discovered while exploring the school’s Media Resource Center after a video of another parent reading the book Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews at a school board meeting went viral.
I was curious to see if this book was available in the Grand Haven Area Public School GHAPS school libraries. Using the link provided on the GHAPS website Media Center Resource page, I was able to search the school library catalogs for Me and Earl and the Dying Girl using a school issued Chromebook.
As you can see in the photo below, GHAPS currently has seven copies of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl available for students to check out, as well as an e-book. Having an electronic version available for students makes its readily accessible for students to view while in the classroom or at home without their parent’s knowledge. Once the student clicks on the Play tab located next to the book title, they are provided access to the book on the MEL (Michigan e-Library) website.
Once a student is on the MEL website, they have unlimited access to all kinds of books, articles, and materials. There are no restrictions in place.
Above I demonstrated how easy it is for a high school student to obtain a copy of the book of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. Now I will explain how easy it is for GHAPS elementary and middle school students to gain access to the MEL website.
In Grand Haven, elementary students are provided this media resources page on their I-pads or Chromebooks.
Under E-book Sites there is the link to the MEL website. Notice it mentions “Grade level appropriate researching”. When a student clicks on the MEL button they are led to this page Kids - Kids - Michigan eLibrary at Michigan eLibrary, Library of Michigan (mel.org). On this page they will find this button:
This button will lead them here.
I typed Me and Earl and the Dying Girl into the search bar which provided me with these results.
In the MEL system, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is available in ebook K-8 Collection. A unique feature of MEL is that once a student has access to its catalog, the access is unlimited. For example, even though the student was directed to the ebook K-8 Collection, the student can choose additional databases to search.
Here are some screenshots from another sexually explicit book found in just a few minutes while clicking around on a student Chromebook. I can assure you there are many more available.
In the video below a parent of a Grand Haven Lakeshore Middle School student demonstrates how easy it is for her 7th grader to access the MEL website and obtain a copy of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl.
Click here for the short video tutorial
On April 30, 2022, Michigan parent Tandr Irish, the administrator of the Facebook group Mary in the Library – Michigan, posted a Google slides presentation demonstrating how MEL can be used to facilitate inter-library loan of books not owned by your child’s school library. Because MEL provides no restrictions to materials, depending on your school district policy, this is another potential way your child can gain access to age-inappropriate materials without your knowledge or consent. Here is a link to Ms. Irish’s presentation that provides additional information on MEL:
Whether in digital form, physical books, movies, or other media, exposing children to sexually explicit content can have harmful effects. In fact, Michigan Law 722.675 Act 33 of 1978 Section 5 deals with disseminating sexually explicit matter to minors. Is providing this type of access to sexually explicit material to minors even legal? We must ensure protections are in place to prevent children from viewing age-inappropriate sexually explicit materials without parental consent.