High School bans Huck Finn

[TJ8869]

Seems like a bad idea but censorship of what is considered a great piece of literature typically is a bad idea.

Except that this isn't censorship. The book is still in the school. Students are still allowed to read it. They just aren't required to read it anymore.

Do you know hoe many books this policy applies to? Almost every book ever written, with the exception of the handful of books on their required reading list. Have they "censored" or "banned" all of those other books as well?

If the students aren't required to read "The Sun Also Rises" or "A Farewell to Arms" or "For Whom the Bell Tolls", does that mean the school has censored Ernest Hemingway? Are those great pieces of literature banned?

 

[unIowa]

Except that this isn't censorship. The book is still in the school. Students are still allowed to read it. They just aren't required to read it anymore.

Do you know hoe many books this policy applies to? Almost every book ever written, with the exception of the handful of books on their required reading list. Have they "censored" or "banned" all of those other books as well?

If the students aren't required to read "The Sun Also Rises" or "A Farewell to Arms" or "For Whom the Bell Tolls", does that mean the school has censored Ernest Hemingway? Are those great pieces of literature banned?

Easy there fella...I didn't read the article nor the full page of replies. For all I care they could teach literature using a Sporting News magazine.

 

[TJ8869]

Easy there fella...I didn't read the article nor the full page of replies. For all I care they could teach literature using a Sporting News magazine.

It never hurts to read the article before proffering an opinion about the article.

 

[unIowa]

It never hurts to read the article before proffering an opinion about the article.

Only so much time in the day. Sometimes you have to take some risks with your hits and it causes you to take a lump.

 

[theIowaHawk]

I agree that this would make a good teaching point. And it's entirely possible that the high school Literature teacher did have such a discussion with the students. The article doesn't specify, so we don't really know.

But it bears repeating that the book was not banned, as the title of this thread erroneously claims. The book was taken off the school's required reading list. But it's still available in the school library. Students are welcome to read it at their leisure. They simply aren't required to read it anymore. And while this incident presented a teachable moment, there are plenty of other ways to impress upon teenagers why it's inappropriate to use the n-word.

This is sort of like when Christians complain that public schools have "banned" prayer or "banned" God. This isn't true either. Students are free to pray voluntarily in public schools. They simply aren't required to. If a student wants to quietly ask for divine guidance before his calculus final he is free to do so. If he wants to offer thanks to the Almighty for his goulash and tater tots at lunchtime, no principal is going to haul him out of the cafeteria by his ear.

Similarly, students at this high school are free to read Huck Finn if they so choose. They can borrow it from their school library. If it's already checked out then they can probably get a copy at a local public library or book store. If all else fails, they can download it to their phone or tablet for next to nothing. I bought the complete works of Mark Twain a few years ago for $1.99 plus tax. It's pretty much everything he ever published - novels, short stories, essays, etc. All for about the price of an order of french fries.

I bet the school would even allow students to form a study group or book club that reads and discusses Huck Finn.

At least we hope all of these things are true.

 

[theIowaHawk]

Except that this isn't censorship. The book is still in the school. Students are still allowed to read it. They just aren't required to read it anymore.

Do you know hoe many books this policy applies to? Almost every book ever written, with the exception of the handful of books on their required reading list. Have they "censored" or "banned" all of those other books as well?

If the students aren't required to read "The Sun Also Rises" or "A Farewell to Arms" or "For Whom the Bell Tolls", does that mean the school has censored Ernest Hemingway? Are those great pieces of literature banned?

It is quite a bit different from "all of those other books", because it was, in fact, on the reading list and then it was removed.

To answer the rest of your questions, we don't seem to know what they have done in the way of allowing/encouraging the reading of the book. We do know that they have discouraged it by removing it from the required reading list ... and we seem to know the reason why. You ignore the reason, probably because you can never figure out anyone's intent. The rest of us can and be a bit concerned about where it is headed.

 

[TJ8869]

It is quite a bit different from "all of those other books", because it was, in fact, on the reading list and then it was removed.

To answer the rest of your questions, we don't seem to know what they have done in the way of allowing/encouraging the reading of the book. We do know that they have discouraged it by removing it from the required reading list ... and we seem to know the reason why. You ignore the reason, probably because you can never figure out anyone's intent. The rest of us can and be a bit concerned about where it is headed.

The fact that Huck Finn is no longer on the reading list is the only way in which it is different from those countless other novels.

Well, that and the fact that many of them probably aren't even available at the school's library. Presumably the library at Friends' Central High School doesn't contain every great novel ever published. But it does contain "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain.

I can understand being disappointed by this decision. As I stated in my first post in this thread, I don't agree with the school's decision. But let's be clear that the book was neither banned nor censored.

 

[theIowaHawk]

The fact that Huck Finn is no longer on the reading list is the only way in which it is different from those countless other novels.

That is a BIG difference. That means some people (person, group, school board, PTA, somebody) got together and specifically decided to NOT teach this book anymore. That is very different than not ever choosing a book, not ever even thinking about a book, or selecting a better book instead.

Well, that and the fact that many of them probably aren't even available at the school's library. Presumably the library at Friends' Central High School doesn't contain every great novel ever published. But it does contain "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain.

I'm not sure what this is supposed to mean nor what point it is attempting to make. I presume that a book that was required reading was available, but if it wasn't ... I guess I don't know.

I can understand being disappointed by this decision. As I stated in my first post in this thread, I don't agree with the school's decision. But let's be clear that the book was neither banned nor censored.

I think we were clear on that in page 1, but kudos putting up the definitional fight for me!

But using this definition: examine (a book, movie, etc.) officially and suppress unacceptable parts of it.

I think it can still work, to a much lesser extent than it is usually used. It is being suppressed, as it is being actively removed from the kids reading it. It isn't entirely suppressed, but it is being at least discouraged (as in no longer encouraged/required).

 

[TJ8869]

I'm not sure what this is supposed to mean nor what point it is attempting to make. I presume that a book that was required reading was available, but if it wasn't ... I guess I don't know.

The point is that even though the book is no longer required reading, it will continue to be available to students in the school library.

 

[TJ8869]

Exactly. They should be required to read things that make them uncomfortable.

I imagine that not only does the use of the n-word not make you uncomfortable, but you blurt it out audibly even when reading the book silently to yourself.

 

[BubsFinn]

"History......if we ignore it, it might go away"

 

[KitingHigh]

I imagine that not only does the use of the n-word not make you uncomfortable, but you blurt it out audibly even when reading the book silently to yourself.

That's weird. You probably wouldn't understand the fact that I've been called that word a number of times, most of which by black people.

 

[joelbc1]

They took it off because students complained it made them "uncomfortable". Who the hell are these patsies? If they feel "uncomfortable" from reading a Twain book then they'll never survive!

This is the truth. Life will be mighty cruel for them once they are on their own. I think one of the funniest satires ever made is "Blazing Saddles".....my daughter and her husband have never seen it.......My daughter would be embarrassed by it...I laff my ass off when I watch it. It's the difference of generations, I guess.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

When I went to UNC, we were instructed to read Huckleberry Finn before arriving on campus. I didn't see the point, but I read it. Still don't see the point. Not knocking the book, which was fun, or Twain, who was awesome - but why?

Perhaps it was helpful to me in some way as a Yankee boy in the South. Did I assimilate better because of it?

Needless to say, removing it from a recommended reading list seems dumb, wrong-headed, and narrow-minded.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

That is a BIG difference. That means some people (person, group, school board, PTA, somebody) got together and specifically decided to NOT teach this book anymore. That is very different than not ever choosing a book, not ever even thinking about a book, or selecting a better book instead.

It is being suppressed, as it is being actively removed from the kids reading it. It isn't entirely suppressed, but it is being at least discouraged (as in no longer encouraged/required).

Sounds right to me. Sort of like requiring a voter ID isn't entirely suppressing the vote. But it isn't benign, either.

What's not clear to me is what this level of suppression is intended to accomplish. I can think of several possible aims, but I don't know the "true" answer.

Banning books used to be the province of the religious folks back in my youth. That still goes on, but is rarely publicized.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

The key is that this is a private school. I disagree with them, but it's their barbecue and presumably they know the student body better than outsiders.

It may be a private school but children are not private property. This particular episode isn't stirring outrage in my breast - but if it did, I wouldn't be giving them a free pass just because it's a private school.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Censorship... not good.

I'm much more concerned about the deletions, substitutions and revisionism being required for Texas textbooks.

Odd that nobody (that I've noticed) calls that "censorship."

 

[TJ8869]

Needless to say, removing it from a recommended reading list seems dumb, wrong-headed, and narrow-minded.

They didn't remove it from a recommended reading list. They removed it from the required reading list. That's a key distinction. It's entirely possible that the book is still on their recommended reading list.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

I'd quibble with that. They are both using it as a derogatory term for a black person. Douglas isn't using it in the salutation sense as it is often used today. He isn't owning the phrase and trying to reshape its meaning. He is using it as it was meant, as a sub-human term. That's how Huck used it too. And in the case of Huck, if memory serves, he then feels right poorly about it and the book goes into great length about why he used it and the ramifications. A part of the book that I recall my 8th grade teacher Mrs Spann spending a great deal of time discussing with the class.

Then later that year we read WWII holocaust literature and compared and contrasted the treatment of Jews to the treatment of slaves. All this in Jr. high in Council Bluffs Iowa. The real shame of this school is that they were just getting to this material in 11th grade.

I wonder if your experience was common or if you just had a good teacher.

 

[naturalmwa]

I wonder if your experience was common or if you just had a good teacher.

Looking back I think she was a good teacher. At the time I thought she spent way too much time on memorizing and identifying parts of speech, spelling and grammar rules. God how I hated that. I imagine much of the lesson plans are standardized in some curriculum. I certainly wasn't the only 8th grader reading huck fin and Night by Elie Wiesel. Both public high schools in town did this if memory serves. I recall it being sort of a big deal however as I think it was the first time we read real books. Up to that point we read out of a big literature textbook that contained various stories.

 

[fivecardstud14]

That book sucked, as did most books that were required to be read when I attended middle school and high school.

 

[zwick99]

Trading Places.

 

[naturalmwa]

That book sucked, as did most books that were required to be read when I attended middle school and high school.

 

[WhiteSoxClone]

I'm joining this conversation late, but I completely agree with the poster above that choosing not to teach a book is neither a ban nor censorship of that book.

That said, I also agree that this is a ridiculous decision. Huckleberry Finn is possibly the greatest American novel ever written. The use of the "n" word is historically accurate. But more importantly, it goes to show Huck's evolution as a character as he gets to know Jim. How much meaning does the pivotal, classic line "all right then, I'll go to hell" lose if the "n" word is never used? Anyone who considers that book racist is simply dense. It was one of the first major works to show African Americans as humans deserving dignity, and a white character who comes to think of an African American as a friend.