School District Scrubs To Kill A Mockingbird Because It Makes People Uncomfortable

[sheshe2]

“If ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ makes you uncomfortable, you should probably be reading ‘To Kill a Mockingbird.’”

The public school district in Biloxi, Mississippi, scrubbed the 1960 novel from its 8th grade curriculum last week, saying there had been “complaints” about the book’s “language.” The move continues a tradition dating back decades of American schools censoring Harper Lee’s Pulitzer-winning classic.

“There is some language in the book that makes people uncomfortable, and we can teach the same lesson with other books,” Kenny Holloway, vice president of the Biloxi School Board, told the Biloxi Sun Herald of the “Mockingbird” decision. “It’s still in our library. But they’re going to use another book in the 8th grade course.”

Holloway did not specify what the replacement text would be, or which “other books” could impart the same lessons as “Mockingbird,” which teaches readers about empathy and what it means to “walk in someone else’s shoes,” according to the Biloxi Public Schools website.  

The school district didn’t immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.

The “Mockingbird” decision prompted condemnation online, with some on Twitter pointing out that provoking discomfort is the idea. 

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

More: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/biloxi-to-kill-a-mockingbird_us_59e4974ce4b03a7be581e2a8?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009

..................................

One of my favorite books that I have read over and over through the years. Shame on the Biloxi School Board for removing it from there 8th grade course. That is cowardly.

[Bleacher Creature]

1. Every word from Trump's mouth makes me uncomfortable.

Can they scrub him as well?

How are we still banning books in 2017?

[Judi Lynn]

2. 57 years after publication, the book gets silenced in Biloxi, Mississippi.

It took all that time, until a filthy racist decided to claim the White House, which isn't gaudy enough for his tastes.

The filthy racist follows the widely respected election of Barack Obama by a large majority.

Did electing an African-American descended President get all the racist losers in this country so wild they are still trying to get even now? I think it did.

Looks as if they want to go back to a time before Civil Rights Legislation was enacted by conscientious Democrats in Washington, D.C. "Make American Great Again" must mean "Make America 1950 Again."

[sheshe2]

6. I think you are right on all points, Judi.

So incredibly sad.

[LisaM]

3. I'd be curious to know what the replacement books are, too.

When I was in sixth grade, I was in an advanced English class and here's what we read:

"To Kill a Mockingbird"
"A Patch of Blue"
"Black Like Me"
"To Sir, With Love"
"The Autobiography of Malcolm X"
"36 Children".

I don't recall any parent protesting and I don't recall any particular trauma associated with any of those books. We read them, absorbed them, talked about the issues in class, and learned a lot from them. And I'm really glad we did.

[Mediumsizedhand]

4. I remember that book is one that stayed with my son in High School.

He talked about it often. It really left an impression with him. Too bad. Makes the kids think. Thinking is always a good thing, in my opinion.

[sheshe2]

5. Welcome to DU.

I have read it many times, it has stuck with me as well. I don't usually like books made into movies, yet that one was so moving and did not play fast and loose with the book.

[treestar]

7. Who in the heck was so "uncomfortable"

that they complained about this book? Oh yeah, white racists.