LA County School District Bans Certain Classic Novels Due to Concerns of Racism

The Burbank Unified School District (BUSD), in Los Angeles County, California, will no longer be allowed to teach some of the greatest American classic works, including "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "Huckleberry Finn," in their schools after parents claimed that these novels could cause harm to Black students.

According to Newsweek:

Middle and high school English teachers in the Burbank Unified School District received the news during a virtual meeting on September 9.

Until further notice, teachers in the area will not be able to include on their curriculum Harper Lee's “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Mark Twain's “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” John Steinbeck's “Of Mice and Men,” Theodore Taylor's “The Cay” and Mildred D. Taylor's “Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.”

Four parents alleged that these books could cause harm to their children, and, in turn, BUSD decided to exclude these novels from its curriculum.

However, as Newsweek reports, others are pushing back.

The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) asked BUSD in a letter to continue teaching these novels, saying that, "[W]e believe that the books... have a great pedagogical value and should be retained in the curriculum."

An online petition against the ban was created by Sungjoo Yoon, a Burbank High School sophomore, saying:

In a time where racism has become more transparent than ever, we need to continue to educate students as to the roots of it; to create anti-racist students. These literatures, of which have been declared “Books that Shaped America” by the Library of Congress, won Newbury Medals, and are some of the most influential pieces, cannot disappear.

A separate petition against the ban was also created by PEN America (Poets, Essayists, Novelists):

https://townhall.com/tipsheet/jeremyfrankel/2020/11/18/la-county-school-district-bans-certain-classic-novels-due-to-concerns-of-racism-n2580298

More than a QUARTER of British students 'self-censor' their opinions because they fear their university's woke cancel culture - and 40% are afraid their careers will be ruined if they speak out

More than a quarter of students 'self-censor' because they fear their views will clash with the 'woke' values promoted by their university, according to a shocking new survey.

In the latest evidence of the free speech crisis engulfing campuses across the country, 27 per cent of students said they have actively 'hidden' their opinions when they are at odds with those of their peers and tutors.

More than half of those who 'self-censored' did so because of their political views. A further 40 per cent withheld their opinions on ethical or religious matters for fear of being judged.

In a chilling indication that those with 'unfashionable' views fear speaking out will have long-term consequences, almost 40 per cent of those polled said they believed their career would be adversely affected if they expressed their true opinions at university.

Free speech campaigners last night likened some campuses to 'Maoist re-education camps' dominated by 'woke orthodoxy' where only the most liberal and Left-wing views are tolerated.

Matthew Goodwin, Professor of Politics at the University of Kent, said: 'We need to keep our world-leading universities as free as possible and we need students and the people teaching them to feel that they can debate, discuss and exchange ideas and perspectives from different angles.

'If we lose that, we're going to lose what it is that makes our universities great in the first place. Freedom of speech is a fundamental aspect of our national identity.'

The survey – conducted by Survation on behalf of ADF International, a faith-based legal advocacy organisation – found that more than a third (36 per cent) of students hold views that are legal to express but that would be considered 'unacceptable' by their student union.
The poll, which received responses from 1,028 current university students and recent graduates across the country, discovered that 44 per cent believed lecturers would treat them differently if they publicly expressed views important to them.

Two-fifths of those questioned said so-called 'no platforming' – where events are cancelled due to the views held by speakers – had become more frequent at their university.

Toby Young, who created The Free Speech Union in February, said his organisation is inundated with students 'begging for help'.

'They thought they'd applied to a university, but they've ended up in a Maoist re-education camp,' he added.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8973601/QUARTER-students-self-censor-opinions-fear-universitys-woke-cancel-culture.html

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