December 22, 2002
An Educational Response to an Educational Problem
Not too long ago, a controversy erupted in Portland when a member of the school board tried to ban The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn because its use of a particular racial slur had offended some of the district's students, and their parents. That attempt at school-sanctioned censorship failed however, and in its place rose a campaign led by Charles McGee III, a junior at Franklin High School.
In a commentary for this past Friday's edition of the Portland Tribune, McGee draws what I have always thought was the finest distiction of his efforts:
The issue hit a little too close to home for me. Neither Williams nor I have ever asked to ban "Huckleberry Finn." Neither Williams nor I have ever asked to remove the word nigger from "Huckleberry Finn." We never did this because this is not the issue. The issue is not the word but rather the pain that the word evokes, however unintentional.
The issue is not the language in "Huckleberry Finn" but the inferior relationship the book conveys to young readers, especially those of African descent, and especially if the educator is unwilling or incapable of presenting it in an unbiased manner.
When faced with the obviously legitimate concerns of some students, am elected community official simply tried to score points by pushing for a ban on the book. But when a student, and one closer to and much more directly involved with the issues, became involved, he opted for -- imagine! -- an educational approach. One that, in essence, respected the capacities (both actual and potential) of students and teachers alike to honestly confront the racial challenges the book presents.
McGee's piece is accompanied by another, written by one of his teachers at Franklin:
While I have never felt comfortable dealing directly with the challenges that Twain's work presents, I have never avoided them because of the deep love and respect I hold for each of my students -- their intellect, experience, passion, honesty and ability to be fully engaged.
It is because of this that I support the use of controversial materials as suitable teaching tools in high school, but only if the educator has created a safe environment in which sensitive topics can be debated, discussed and explored.
To do so requires an intentional awareness and a cultural sensitivity. We must decide to continue to revisit "difficult" texts to determine their relevancy, or conclude that their use is insensitive. Avoidance should not be considered an option.
Of course, it is the very potential for open and honest education represented by McGee and his teacher that is threatened by the utter inability (or unwillingness) of the State Legislature to solve the school funding crisis.
Comments (2)
Elaine on 22 Dec 2002
As former classroom English teacher and administrator with a State education department, I congratulate this teacher and this student on articulating so intelligently how to approach the issue of banning books. Their statements ought to be shared with the American Library Association.
Meagan on 14 Feb 2005
I do understand the feelings of the young gentlemen and women who feel frustration or oppression by this certian type of literature. I will state though, not to be taken to offence, that by reading the literature of the many great authors will help you gain a knowledgs that others might not have the ability to posess. I do believe that by looking at the controversial matters in Huck Finn can lead to some feelings of hurt but one must understand the relevance of the book and the time period in which is written. look at what the underlying message in the book portrays and try to find a deeper meaning. i really think that it has a lot of great lessons to be learned.