Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye banned in California school
The late Toni Morrison’s novel, The Bluest Eye has been removed from the Colton Joint Unified School District’s D (California, USA), core and extended reading list for the English Language Arts classes, following parental complaints about the novel’s graphic sexual violence. Morrison has won the ulitzer and Nobel Prize. Although, the 1970 book emains available to students n libraries at district high chools, Colton school board members voted to remove Morrison’so debut novel from he reading list according to eports.
Writers Dan Flores and ertha Arreguin opposed the move. “While I respect the ecision of the board, I’m isappointed to see the book emoved. I felt that the book hould remain an option for pper p level classes with an nterest in tackling such a omplex piece of literature,” aid Flores.
The Bluest Eye was removed rom the list after parents emailed board members expressing concern over the novel’s depiction of pedophilia and sexual violence.
Set in Ohio in the 1940s, Morrison’s novel follows an African American girl, Pecola Breedlove, who believes her life of abuse and racism would be better if she had blue eyes.
The Bluest Eye, which had previously been on the district’s reading list, was the only book removed from the catalog of nearly 500 pieces of literature up for approval.
District officials could not recall another time such an action was taken.
“There are dozens of books on the list that deal with controversial issues,” Flores said. “Yet, the only one being removed is by Toni Morrison, one of the most prominent black female authors in recent times. Her literature speaks to the African American experience in America and I could not personally support removing one of her books.”