America continues to struggle with the issue of “race.” An example of this is the issue of whether or not to put books like Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” or Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” in public libraries or school libraries.
Article: To Kill a Mockingbird and Huckleberry Finn banned from schools in Virginia for racism
This issue has continued for over a decade and it is disheartening. Rather than simply taking these books off the shelves because they have racist language, it is far better to have students read the books and talk about the issues. Simply “hiding” these books because they might make students “uncomfortable” is completely misguided. Read the books together and use them as an occasion for discussing what racism is and why it is wrong. Sweeping the issue under the table is the wrong way to go.