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- Jan 30, 2008
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Re: A thread about political correctness and publishing . .
Well, the hubs and I had a roarin' discussion (not a fight guys, just my way of saying interesting) last night about this. He is FOR it. You could'a knocked me down, seriously. His agreement with the idea came from trying to teach using "The Autogiography of Malcolm X". His observation was that he was never ever able to get the kids past the word. Ever. No matter how he addressed it. He said his kids, (and understand that he is serving in an inner-city, highly urban, poor environment) go from zero to being blown up, in a heartbeat. They tend to extemes of reaction. He thought that that book, and Twain, are so good and have so much to offer, and wonders why that word is so important. He pointed out that Twain was also a speaker, and as such would have changed wording on the fly for the sensibilites of his audience. He wondered if Twain would have used that word today. Of course we'll never know.
I considered this for a while - why I'm so against it. I object to censorship on a philosophical level. I object to works of art, of social commentary - being edited. Finally, I offered up that if his kids, for whatever reason, are unable to get past that word in a period work like Twain's, then perhaps they should not use him, and should use other sources to teach from, since commentary and material from that era is hardly lacking. I basically responded with why is Twain so great a teaching tool that only IT must be used (and edited) when other sources can accomplish the same thing?
Now, he admitted he WAS trying to use Malcolm X in middle school, which had my jaw drop a bit, (he was new at the time) and they AIN'T highschool. So he admitted that he didn't know how the kids he teaches now would react. He also would not be using Twain as lit - being a history teacher, but a friend of his does teach it as lit, so we're going to ask her how her kids react currently.
Interesting evening. It's why I love him so much. Keeps me entertained and challenged....
Well, the hubs and I had a roarin' discussion (not a fight guys, just my way of saying interesting) last night about this. He is FOR it. You could'a knocked me down, seriously. His agreement with the idea came from trying to teach using "The Autogiography of Malcolm X". His observation was that he was never ever able to get the kids past the word. Ever. No matter how he addressed it. He said his kids, (and understand that he is serving in an inner-city, highly urban, poor environment) go from zero to being blown up, in a heartbeat. They tend to extemes of reaction. He thought that that book, and Twain, are so good and have so much to offer, and wonders why that word is so important. He pointed out that Twain was also a speaker, and as such would have changed wording on the fly for the sensibilites of his audience. He wondered if Twain would have used that word today. Of course we'll never know.
I considered this for a while - why I'm so against it. I object to censorship on a philosophical level. I object to works of art, of social commentary - being edited. Finally, I offered up that if his kids, for whatever reason, are unable to get past that word in a period work like Twain's, then perhaps they should not use him, and should use other sources to teach from, since commentary and material from that era is hardly lacking. I basically responded with why is Twain so great a teaching tool that only IT must be used (and edited) when other sources can accomplish the same thing?
Now, he admitted he WAS trying to use Malcolm X in middle school, which had my jaw drop a bit, (he was new at the time) and they AIN'T highschool. So he admitted that he didn't know how the kids he teaches now would react. He also would not be using Twain as lit - being a history teacher, but a friend of his does teach it as lit, so we're going to ask her how her kids react currently.
Interesting evening. It's why I love him so much. Keeps me entertained and challenged....
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