'Huckleberry Finn' pulled from classes after parent complains

The Lansing State Journal ^ | November 3, 2006 | AP

[Stoat]

'Huckleberry Finn' pulled from classes after parent complains

Associated Press

 

TAYLOR - Mark Twain's classic "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" has been pulled from high school classes after a parent of a black student complained that a teacher had students read portions aloud.

There is only one black child in the English class where the book, which contains racial slurs, was read aloud and acted out, The Detroit News reported Thursday.

The book will remain on the shelves at Taylor School District's high schools. The district's curriculum committee will recommend to the school board whether the book should have a future in district classrooms.

"We want to be sensitive to how the children feel," said Lynette Sutton, assistant superintendent for secondary instruction.

The 1880s novel about a white boy's first-person account of his adventures along the Mississippi River with a runaway slave named Jim has long been controversial because of its use of racial slurs and its representations of blacks and women.

[sphinx]

Huckleberry Finn should be recognized as the most important book of the Civil Rights movement.

The most important book of the Civil Rights movement would be Uncle Tom's Cabin, which is also verboten for equally imbecilic reasons.

[DeFault User]

I don't think, however, that Uncle Tom's Cabin can be compared to Huckleberry Finn as a great work of literature.

[Stoat]

It's a bit of cultural arrogance (as well as political grandstanding) to impose our current worldview on the past.

Agreed, and as we can see even from this thread, there remain some who refuse to see the truth of what you say.

[geopyg]

I read this book to my son when he was 5 or so. Instead of "nigger" I would use "slave" - I'm not even sure I used "black". Anyway, I did note to him the progression from Huck treating him like a slave and then to a friend. What a great story on so many levels!

[Chena]

Children should not have to read books with racial slurs as a part of their elementary education. How many times do I have to type this before you understand?

Dearest Jorge, remember what I said about "speed-reading" not being our friend? Perhaps you should go back and read the article at the beginning of this thread. Since you're on meds, please allow me to assist you.

Quote: "Mark Twain's classic "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" has been pulled from high school classes..."

Now, I know that you probably just stumbled over the very first sentence in the article and didn't comprehend it before you decided to make your first post, but it's not too late to read it now.

Huckleberry Finn wasn't banned from "elementary" education classes. It was being banned in "high school classes". :)

[Jorge]

If you enjoyed the book, why do you not want others to read and learn from it?

You're right.
Can't argue with that.

Thanks for the debate. You guys have been great.

[Chena]

Well you've been very patient with me.

It's one of my better qualities. Being patient with children, animals, and those who are mentally challenged is one of God's gifts to me.

[Jorge]

Since you're on meds, please allow me to assist you.

Common. I've written some nice posts to you.

Can't you stop with the meds insults...for a minute even?

[LexBaird]

Children should not have to read books with racial slurs as a part of their elementary education.

Why not?

How many times do I have to type this before you understand?

Your typing it is an unsupported declaration. Explain why it is bad for children to be exposed to unpleasant things, when it contains a lesson as to WHY they are bad.

By the time kids read "Finn", they are well old enough to understand prejudice. If their only exposure to the term comes as rap lyrics and playground insults, how are they to understand the social implications of racism it carries? It becomes just a "shock" word, like "M*****F*****.

No one who slings that term is really accusing the target of incest with their mother. It is used for insult and shock. Same with racial slurs. "Finn" gives kids some insight into the time when it wasn't a racial insult; it was just the commonplace perception of Blacks by Whites. It was a social given that Blacks were inferior, almost not human. It is that sort of context that students need to understand how vile their "shock" term is, and why modern society condemns its use.

[Chena]

Oh no you don't. You sit back down and respond to my post #145. LOL!

[Chena]

LOL Ok, no more med jokes.

[Jorge]

It's one of my better qualities. Being patient with children, animals, and those who are mentally challenged is one of God's gifts to me.

I'm sure God is especially pleased with your insulting His children with the above sort of comments.

[sphinx]

Agreed.

[Chena]

How did I insult God's children?

[Chena]

Jorge, I'm waiting for you to respond to my post, #145.

[Jorge]

Oh no you don't. You sit back down and respond to my post #145. LOL!

I'm trying to forget that post. You weren't very nice to me.

[Jorge]

How did I insult God's children?

You said mean things to me.

You need to repent.

[sphinx]

It was really banned because Huck Finn was home schooled.

LOL. If the lefties get a whiff of that idea, they'll reinsert Huck Finn as mandatory reading ... with the core lesson in the teachers' manual being that Pap is a typical homeschooling parent.

[Chena]

I'm trying to forget that post. You weren't very nice to me.

Oh please.......are you an adult or aren't you? You didn't want this book in the hands of "elementary" classes. I informed you that this book was being banned from HIGH SCHOOL classes, which the article clearly states. What say you?

[Chena]

You said mean things to me. You need to repent.

If you believe that I said "mean things" to you in that post, then you are implying that you are either a child, an animal, or mentally challenged. Pick one, or two, or all three.