In class today we had a long and interesting discussion about whether or not parents should have had the authority to remove "Huckleberry Finn" from the New Trier curriculum. There were two very convincing sides to the story. In my own personal opinion, I think that Huck Finn is an intriguing and thought provoking addition to the books we read, and should absolutely be included in the curriculum for most English classes. Limiting our access to the book is implying that we aren't mature enough to take away the positive messages from the book and know that when a negative message is being conveyed we should criticize it, not follow it blindly. However, I do think that there should be an out for any student that feels personally offended by the book, like an alternate assignment or paper.
But, if not the parents, who should make the decision as to who reads the book and who doesn't? My first thought would be that the teachers should be able to decide what books can be effectively taught in the classroom. Teachers can see daily classroom discussion and decide whether or not a book provokes meaningful discussions and if students take the right messages out of the book. At the same time, though, I don't think teachers should have absolute power over the curriculum. While parents aren't part of their children's education full-time, they should have some kind of power over what they are being taught. Where should we draw the line between a parent's and a teacher's responsibility?
No comments:
Post a Comment