The books on the reading list aren’t necessarily in the clear to be taught in future semesters, but it’s a good step forward.
The thing that gets me is where one of the board members referred to the child-rape passage in “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” as “sexual”. Gross. It’s a shame that just because their education failed them, they are willing to let subsequent generations of students miss out on important, controversial and even uncomfortable topics. Spoiler alert: real life is both filled with uncomfortable moments and controversy. Sanitizing a reading list to “protect” children doesn’t do anyone any good.
At the very least, this has opened up broader discussions between the school board, students, teachers, and parents.
