The Surrey School District in BC has cut Harper Lee’s classic To Kill a Mockingbird, claiming it’s not inclusive enough and has harmful language.
The move comes after the district issued a revised list of their recommended reading materials for educators.
Ritinder Matthew, an associate director of communications with the district, said that the change is not an outright ban on Lee’s novel, but it’s no longer the best way to deal with anti-racism in the “social landscape of the world today.”
“Our priority is to ensure that every child in our classrooms feels safe and supported,” he added.
On top of To Kill a Mockingbird, other classics have been removed by woke administrators, including John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, and John Ball’s In the Heat of the Night.
The review of the district’s recommended books reportedly came after some parents complained about the novels in 2022. A year-long review was subsequently conducted with the assistance of teachers and researchers.
Among the various “issues” reviewers found with the novels were one-dimensional portrayals of Black characters, the employment of a “white saviour,” and the use of “ableist” language.
The district’s decision has even sparked criticism from BC’s Premier David Eby.
Matthew expressed surprise at Eby’s comments but referenced the Ministry of Education and Child Care’s “K-12 Anti-Racism Education Plan,” which the district follows in its effort to scrutinize the curriculum through an equity lens.
School board blames racist staff after report finds Black students get disproportionally suspended
Over in Ontario, the Halton District Catholic School Board (HDCSB) has promised increased equity and diversity training for alleged racist staff members, after finding a disproportionate number of Black students get suspended compared to Asian and White students.
Board members blamed systemic racism as one of the factors causing the variance, the report states.
Administrators who issue suspensions, the report adds, need to “consider their own social location and be cognizant of biases and stereotypes. These are requirements of all HCDSB employees.”
