Books should stay on the list
Regarding Dorany Pineda’s “Off the Reading List” [Nov. 12]: The Burbank Unified School District has taken an anti-education stance in halting the teaching of classic books due to their perceived racism. Interestingly, “Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry” was written by a Black author.
I taught “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “Of Mice and Men” for most of my 31-year career as a high school English teacher. These books were often the favorites of my students.
The texts teach antiracism, decency and empathy. These literary treasures [should] remain as teaching tools. Brian Crosby
Burbank
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I empathize with the parents who filed the complaint, and those who signed the supporting petition, in their effort to protect their children. But banning books is not a solution. These texts can be used as powerful counterpoints to virulent bigotry and hate.
Liz Vogel Los Angeles
Although I have taught “Huckleberry Finn” in class, reading aloud, many times in the past, I would not do it in today’s climate.
However I do approach the issue of young people and race with books that hit more of a nerve with young people. Nothing ever gripped a class like August Wilson’s play, “Fences,” which I have used with 10th graders. Richard Wright’s “Native Son” has always worked if one brings out how the lack of shared experiences is tragic for teens of all colors.
A class once requested and loved Rudolfo Anaya’s “Bless Me, Ultima.” Today I would recommend the works of Angie Thomas. Any of those will cause a few “often offended” parents to squirm. But I guarantee they will get passed around under desks to kids in classes that don’t get to read them.
Geri Minott Cardiff-by-the-Sea
Mark Twain is obviously still doing a bangup job with “The Adventures of “Huckleberry Finn.” Any American who seeks to ban this book along with John Steinbeck’s and Harper Lee’s novels demonstrates their complete ignorance of these works of literature. ::
John Kerr Riverside
What would Ray Bradbury have had to say about the school district’s decision not to teach those novels?
William Borland Torrance