To kill a mockingbird banned in Scottish school

I think it’s a very sad decision.

If Atticus was a saviour how come he lost the case and his client went to jail and wound up dead?

Oh dear. My favourite book.

25Avalon

If Atticus was a saviour how come he lost the case and his client went to jail and wound up dead?

Exactly what I thought !

Not read it for years now, but I used to read it annually (once I’d got over the dislike of reading that studying A Level English left me with). I agree absolutely that it is a good starting point for looking at racism and discrimination and I imagine a reasonable school would counterbalance it with more modern depictions. Such a great shame.

It's in my grandson's list to study at school next year.

Glad it hasn't been banned everywhere. Bad decision in my view.

Very foolish decision which is being widely derided. It's an ideal way for good teachers to illustrate changing attitudes and to examine historical aspects of racism. All the more reason to especially keep this book on school curriculums (a)

How very sad. We are heading in a terrifying direction. Thought police next?

EssPee
They’re already here.
Watch this. Make sure you look at the title: We need to check your thinking!!!! youtu.be/iCxQI9U_xHE

I was trying to find a frightening piece by Dame Helena Kennedy on this very subject but no luck.

So, in a society that is predominantly white, who should stand up to protect black minorities? Only reason to ban this book is you don't want to present this view to young people. I come to the conclusion the people banning this must be racist.

Just to confirm, this is in Scotland not South Africa.

We’re living in 1984 nowadays with everyone under scrutiny. It’s enough to make you paranoid.

Why can’t they just use the book as it’s always been used but with the caveat that it contains observations and attitudes that are outdated by current societal standards ?
Surely this is the right approach ?
You can’t junk your history and literature and eradicate it just because modern society has changed. We all know that attitudes are different now. And we are for the most part glad of it.
But don’t wipe it out. Don’t destroy it. Because if you do that you’re heading on the path of the Cultural Revolution in China, where artists/ writers/ journalists were killed for expressing an alternative view to the new doctrines adopted by the State.
We’ll be having public book burnings next as the libraries are ‘cleansed’.

Aveline - your point is excellent !
What an opportunity to explore racism in the classroom.

'The past is a foreign country, they do things differently there.' I have taught To Kill a Mockingbird and racism was one of many issues raised. I've also taught Knots and Crosses by Malory Blackman and Roll of Thunder, hear my cry. I can't remember the author offhand. I am sad that a decision made by a school to drop a text has caused this furore. English teachers constantly update texts so that they appeal to teenagers. They are almost never racist so to call them that is unfair.

Aveline

Very foolish decision which is being widely derided. It's an ideal way for good teachers to illustrate changing attitudes and to examine historical aspects of racism. All the more reason to especially keep this book on school curriculums (a)

I think its ridiculous that this has been banned. I read that it was one particular teacher, do you know if that's true Aveline?

My sons read it for one of their exams, years ago. I don’t think it’s a good book as literature, but it’s interesting and important social history. It certainly shouldn’t be banned.

Has it been 'banned' or just not chosen as a study text?

I love this book. Can't believe it's being banned. Kids could learn so much from it. Atticus Finch was a hero.

www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/edinburgh-school-to-kill-a-mockingbird-b1878806.html

Of Mice and Men as well, it seems

Was he a saviour? I thought he was a hero for being willing to go against his own (white) community, knowing it would destroy his livelihood and that he could possibly be killed for it , in standing up and properly defending a young black man, who had been accused of a rape he didn't commit.

He would suffer all the same consequences whether he won or lost.

Alegrias only just caught up. I see you found the link. I bet that school is a bit embarrassed as this has caused quite a furore.

So it's not 'banned'. It is just not being taught for exams just now. I assume that copies are allowed on the premises?

Are all the other millions of books that aren't being taught also 'banned'?

It seems to me yet another example of divisive headlines. Saying that a book that was popular with older generations (and it is a very good book with a forward-looking message for its time) has been 'banned' has connotations of book burning and totalitarianism.

This is just someone updating the syllabus, which, as Grandmabatty points out, happens regularly. It's not the end of freedom as we know it. Anyway it appears that the book has a lot of detractors - Michael Gove reportedly 'banned' both To Kill a Mockingbird and 'Of Mice and Men' - not for being racist, but for being American. He subsequently denied it.

I often think the people who set the reading lists are not that bright. This is just another example.