Why Is To Kill A Mockingbird Banned In Schools

Critics have said that To Kill a Mockingbird is not a good read for the youth because that it still uses the N-word, which is a word that is almost prohibited in the 21st century. They say that this element of the book makes it irrelevant. Many schools around the country have decided to remove To Kill a Mockingbird from their curriculum because the amount of racial slurs and bad words makes the book hard to teach. Lines such as “What exactly is a n—– lover?”...It’s hard to explain, Ignorant, trashy people use it when they think somebody’s favoring Negroes over and above themselves… It’s slipped into usage with some people like ourselves, when they want a common, ugly term to label somebody.”(Lee ___) Sentences like these make students uncomfortable and more likely to not understand the literary concepts. School district across America have decided to use other books that can teach the same lessons. Although some experts think the use of the N-word makes the novel irrelevant and bit difficult to teach, others think that the use of the N-word is not a big deal and makes the book relevant.

school and college students. For instance, in the article “The Ironic, Enduring Legacy of Banning ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ for Racist Language” Avi Selk mentions the schools and the school boards who recently attempted to ban “To Kill A Mockingbird” and most of them are middle and elementary schools. The book was perceived as offensive because of the language within it’s pages. The schools and parents failed to receive “To Kill A Mockingbird”’s message and instead focused on only part of what was said instead of why. Selk said “It was not images of race, but of sex, that caused the first big uproar. The school board of Hanover County, Va., banned the book as “immoral literature” in 1966 because the plot centered on rape.” If that’s the case, why allow middle schoolers and elementary kids read the book? This is why “Mockingbird” should be reserved for high school and college students. The book is centered on a loaded plot and does indeed use some explicit language but that doesn’t mean that that qualifies the book to be banned. There’s quotes directly from the book that demonstrate just why Harper Lee used the language she did and it reads like this, “What exactly is a n—– lover?” Scout asks her father. “It’s hard to explain.” “Ignorant, trashy people use it when they think somebody’s favoring Negroes over and above themselves,” he tells Scout. “It’s slipped into usage with some people like ourselves, when they want a common, ugly term to label somebody.” (To Kill A Mockingbird, Lee) The text directly from the book is a perfect example to show that the use of the “N-word” wasn’t used to promote the word but to shame it and the use of it back in 1960, in Alabama, in which the book was set upon. Allow the students who can fully understand and not take offense to “To Kill A

To start, students should not be completely obvious to the harsh topics explained in some of their books. The book To Kill A Mockingbird was kick out of the 8th grade lesson plan “due to the use of the ‘N’ word” in Biloxi (Clarion Ledger). This book show how difficult

“Says if anybody sees a white nigger around, that’s the one” (Lee 61). Harper Lee, the author of To Kill a Mockingbird, used the racial slur ‘nigger’ as it would have been used in historical context. The inclusion of it in the novel opens up a great area of discussion for teachers to expand on in class and talk about the author’s choice of words. Once a book has been banned, it is no longer posing any questions for discussion or further research, and it stunts the learning growth in the

A widely debated topic concerning, Mark Twain’s classic Huckleberry Finn centers on its content which may or may not be too offensive to be allowed on public school reading lists. The NAACP and concerned parents want Huckleberry Finn “removed from mandatory reading lists, for the books damaging effects on African-American students” (Hentoff 98). The book did not get removed; in “1998 Judge Reinhardt wrote: ‘an important part of education is thinking critically about offensive ideas’ ” which is just one side of the argument (Hentoff 99). There are two sides of this debate which have valid points and even stronger feelings, to remove Huckleberry Finn or keep it in schools. The pro banning side declares the book has offensive language, racially insensitive, and the book encourages racial tension. The con banning side retorts First Amendment rights, knowledge stops repetition, and the book is anti-racist and teaches moral values. Huckleberry Finn is one of the most read classics, yet since its publication, has always stirred up trouble.

Nelle Harper Lee’s book To Kill a Mockingbird was published in July 1960. Since then, it has won numerous awards and has become a book read by nearly every student in America’s public schools at one point or another. Books so widely read as this have a power over the minds they touch; it is a subconscious power, something absorbed while you try not to fall asleep listening to the droning voice of the reader. No matter how little attention a student paid to the novel, the message of strength in the face of a decision between what is obviously right and what everyone else says must be, is one that lingers in their mind.

To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, is a novel that explores heavy issues such as Civil Rights and racism in the segregated southern United States during the 1930s, along with the significance of corruption of innocence and finally, the coexistence of good and evil. Narrated by Scout Finch, you learn about her father Atticus Finch, who is an attorney endeavouring to prove the innocence of a black man who has been wrongly accused of rape. Lee uses memorable characters and an appropriate setting to inform readers on the controversial issues addressed in the novel. I believe that young readers would benefit from reading this complex and intellectual novel, as it is important to understand what changes our society has gone through and

It is true that To Kill A Mockingbird won the Pulitzer Prize in 1961, but the book does not have the power to inspire CBMS eighth graders. Racism is not common in their community and, for most, does not affect them at all. Most students are not facing the problems that the characters in the book face so they can not connect to them. For example, they are not witnesses to rape trials, kids that are so poor they can’t go to school, or the worst economic downturn in U.S. history. To Kill A Mockingbird won the Pulitzer Prize because of its power to inspire people but it has lost that

Have you ever wanted to know why banned books, such as To Kill a Mockingbird are banned from public schools? Well in To Kill a Mockingbird Jem and Scout's father is a lawyer named Atticus. Atticus is defending a black man, Tom Robinson who is being accused of raping an innocent white girl. Everyone in the town doesn't agree with his decisions to defend the man. Scout has been confronted many times by her schoolmates about her dad's case.

The Common Core State Standard for Language Arts, which is the current standards observed by North Carolina, determines the particular proficiency students need in order to be prepared for their academic and professional futures according to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. They add that some of these skills include, but are not limited to critical thinking skills, literacy skills and analytical skills. Current process, for the most part, do help establish a framework for keeping materials relevant to the maturity level of students. However, if students or parents feel as if their values or beliefs don’t line up with current standards of education, complications can arise. Complications such as the censorship of beneficial literature can have negative consequences in society. In agreement with Judy Blume, “ If every individual with an agenda had his/her way, the shelves in the school library would be close to empty.” Although there are many books that have either been banned or challenged, according to The Committee on Intellectual Freedom of the American Library Association, To Kill a Mockingbird is listed as “being among the 10 most frequently challenged books” (Karolides, Bald, and Sova 483).

Books have always been taught to students for many reasons. The main reason is that it is part of the teaching curriculum. Although students feel like they should not read books that are given to them, some are more important than they think. One book for example, is the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. This book has taught students many things that has happened back in the 1930’s and some still happen in the present day.

In our society today, books such as To Kill a Mockingbird, The Great Gatsby, and The Grapes of Wrath have been put on the Banned Book List all across America. To Kill a Mockingbird is banned because it is "profane and racist work that promotes 'white supremacy."

Today’s high schoolers need to be taught of topics like discrimination, racism, cruelty, and America’s past. The knowledge of these topics is a crucial thing to learn in life and very beneficial. It allows someone to understand why we as a society are the way we are, the proper things to do when facing these issues, and to not be prejudiced. Many writers attempt to capture these themes in their writing, but many fail to achieve it in an impactful way. One author has managed to capture these themes through the childhood and loss of innocence of the some of the protagonist of the story.

Many states are discussing the effects of a novel called “To Kill a Mockingbird”, that is a reading requirement in schools. Many argue whether this novel should be allowed to be read in schools or prohibited. The claims listed in an article for the ban of this novel explains many key points on why the novel should not be read. The key points listed are some of many problems still seen in our society today. According to an article called “The case against To Kill a Mockingbird” by Isaac Saney, the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” is still relevant in today’s society based on the common prejudice, racism, and language shown in the novel that we still deal with presently.

Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird is absolutely legendary in any viewpoint in English literature. This plain fact is the key contributor to why the book is read in freshmen and sophomore English classes across the country. But it’s time to move on. This book just can not move a generation like it did in years past and should not even be touched on in any class of any level. To Kill a Mockingbird is a book built on attacking the injustices of segregation, but when the novel lacks all brutal and raw emotion from the blatant sugar coating and can not hit home with such a desensitized audience of today’s breed of teenagers, there is absolutely no reason for it to be read in any class