Get Huck Finn out of our schools

[ripdog]

I found this story a bit funny and sad. Having had no cable since late July, I had to rely on radio to follow this story, which worked nicely. A high schooler and her grandma have voiced their concerns over whether young kids should have to be subjected to the racist language in Huckleberry Finn. I had a chance to listen to the kid on a call in radio show. I was hoping for a bit of insight to the black perspective, but I didn't get it. The kid admitted that she had only skimmed parts of the book, but was quite adamant that it shouldn't be taught in schools. The host of the show, a former university prof, told her that in his opinion, anyone who moves to ban a book that they haven't even read is "all wet". She took it as a racist comment from him and started to get upset until he told her that since her argument didn't hold water, she was going to get wet. I recall reading Huck Finn on vacation when I was 10 years old. I think I was able to differentiate between the 1800's and the 1970's and put things in perspective. It's sad when disembodied 10 year olds seem to have a better grasp on reality than a high school aged kid. Maybe my whiteness just keeps me from understanding, but all I heard was ignorance from these people. The story played out in the Renton school district, SE of Seattle. Would anybody care to argue for the removal of this book from our schools? I'm dying for an intelligent debate on the subject. Here's a link to the story: king county journal article (http://www.kingcountyjournal.com/sited/story/html/143979)

[Ray Zee]

alot of the old books schools used were racist by present day standards. they should not be used in schools unless for the purpose of showing what it was like in the past. however no book should be banned from a library.

[MMMMMM]

Huckleberry Finn not only shows what it was like in the past, it is also great literature. I think it should be required reading in every high school (along with certain other great works of literature). John Cole, what do you think?

[andyfox]

I agree 100%. (Wow!).

In fact Huck Finn is a profoundly anti-racist book and contains perhaps the most electrifying moment in American literature. I'll leave it for John Cole to elaborate.

[ACPlayer]

It is a terrific book and perfectly appropriate for a high school teenagers study, report and analysis.

[BruceZ]

It's sad when disembodied 10 year olds seem to have a better grasp on reality than a high school aged kid.

How did you come to be disembodied? /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[BruceZ]

Yeah, and it's replete with horrible grammar too. It shouldn't be used in an English class except as an example of the incorrect way to speak and write. /images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[Mano]

This book certainly shows characters with racist viewpoints, but the story is about Huck coming to the realisation that these viewpoints are wrong. The moral and spirit of the story are decidedly anti-racist, and the language is neccesary to acurately depict the pre-civil war southern United States, and it would be a shame if we let ignorance deprive our students from studying this classic.

[Ray Zee]

thats exactly my point. they need to use tthese books to show what it was like and what different views are all about. its all part of history and if taught correctly is no problem. but done wrong can create really bad impressions from very impressionable children. i am not thinking high scool as much here, as by then minds are getting closed.

[brad]

come on.

even the kids nowadays who can read dont bother with the book, they use cliff notes or whatever or even just buy an essay or whatever.

[ACPlayer]

Do your views also apply to writings such as Shakespeare? Or did you just study the summarized versions.

[BruceZ]

Do you recognize sarcasm when you read it, or does it have to hit you over the head?

Besides which, I hope that you would have enough intelligence to discern the difference between English from an earlier time period and grammar which is incorrect in any time period, not that any distinction you fail to make would really surprise me.

[ACPlayer]

Well, you always say the strangest things imaginable, so it is hard to figure that THIS one was sarcasm.