Professional Documents
Culture Documents
offensive thing in schools, this would also include some newspapers and
magazines (A War Over Words).
Additionally, it would be a good idea to inform teachers about how to teach
and only use certain materials. Although students should be able to read
what they want, its the fact that if material is taught to the whole class
some may get offended. If books like these continue to stay in schools, they
should be put off to the side and let students read them on their own time
and not in a school setting. Offensive books also distort the picture of the
ideas, values, and problems of a culture (Matos). Writers want to represent
their culture, and by doing so they may put another culture down and offend
them either purposely or accidentally due to the person who is ever reading
it.
I do greatly appreciate the investigation into this situation about how the
school district is slowly but surely pulling books from the shelves and
reevaluating the reading curriculum. Reading Horizons says they are working
on writing new books to solve this controversy (Matos).
Taking into account of the students it would be in your best interest to sit
down with the rest of the Board of Education and mention different plans of
how to give all of the Minneapolis students a better education without
offending their race, values, or cultural background through reading
offensive books within the public schools.
We urgently suggest that you look into this problem and try to come up with
the best solution to fix banning offensive books in classrooms and libraries.
In doing so many students and parents would greatly appreciate it. I look
forward to hearing feedback to this situation. Thanks.
Sincerely,
Gracie Ardolf,
University of Minnesota-Duluth Student
509 Niagara Court Griggs A309
Duluth, MN 55812
Bibliography
"A War Over Words." Maclean's 110.26 (1997): 102. EBSCO MegaFILE. Web. 7
Oct. 2015.
Matos, Alejandra. "Minneapolis District Officials Apologize for Offensive Books
given to Teachers." StarTribune 27 Aug. 2015. Web. 7 Oct. 2015.
Phillip, Abby. "Painfully Offensive Racial Stereotypes Lead School District to
Recall Books." Washington Post 11 Sept. 2015. Parents United for
Public Schools. Web. 7 Oct. 2015.
"The Students' Right to Read." NCTE Comprehensive News. 1 Apr. 2009. Web.
7 Oct. 2015.