Burbank Unified School District has banned teachers from teaching five classic books.
No teacher is allowed to teach from "To Kill a Mockingbird", "Roll & Thunder, Hear My Cry", "Huckleberry Finn", "The Cay" or "Of Mice and Men".
Each of those books contains significantly anti-racist themes. They are being banned because they use the n-word in historically accurate contexts. (To re-iterate and be perfectly clear: they are being banned from being , they are not be removed from the student libraries)
"It’s important to remember that, while parents can opt their students out of reading these books, students who are prevented from reading classic texts with the benefit of guided analysis by professional educators can never opt in."
We cannot create a better future by trying to hide the errors, injustices, and horrors of the past.
Must must not strip our teachers of the ability to teach texts that are both gripping to young readers and show the flaws of our forefathers.