I read it for school, and I attended (gasp!) a mostly-white prep. school in Jackson, MS. Incidentally, my high school did not exist prior to the advent of forced desegregation and busing.
I knew you were a preppie all along.
I should have added...I don't remember anyone ever remarking that TKaM was "anti-South," nor do I remember anyone disliking the movie or the book. I myself enjoyed both.
Do you mean Jackson Prep?
Or JA?
My best friend graduated from the former. I can't remember if she read it. She usually bought the Cliff Notes or whatever they're called. Or she asked me. :)
I've been trying to remember what novels we read in high school. Silas Marner was one. And The Scarlet Letter. We did not have Honors or AP English my senior year at my school, and all seniors had the same CBOK requirements in all the JPS. That meant the requirements were very very few. It was NOT college preparatory.