…for charter and voucher schools, this time provided by the Biloxi (public) School District. They’ve banned Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird from its 8th grade classrooms. Why?
…some of the book’s language “makes people uncomfortable.”
Never mind that proper education must make people uncomfortable because it challenges their preconceived notions, it makes them think, it makes them think for themselves. It even confronts students with uncomfortable aspects of our history, like Atticus Finch explaining to his daughter, Scout, the term “nigger-lover.” Or Tom Robinson referring to himself, ironically, as a nigger.
No, we have to raise precious little snowflakes unable to take care of themselves in adulthood.
Never mind, either, that the Web site associated with the district says that
To Kill A Mockingbird teaches students that compassion and empathy don’t depend upon race or education.
Instead, the school has ducked the question:
School board Vice President Kenny Holloway says other books can teach the same lessons.
No, very few do, and those that do don’t do it nearly as well.