Uncomfortable 7th-grader spurs decision to drop 'Huck Finn' from class

PensacolaNewsJournal.com ^ | JANUARY 30, 2003 | Ginny Graybiel

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Escambia School District teachers won't be sharing "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" with students until they're in the 11th grade.

School District officials made the decision after the principal at Ransom Middle School relayed a parent's concern over a seventh- grade class reading the racially charged Mark Twain classic about the teenage Huck floating down the Mississippi River with the escaping slave, Jim.

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Similar Story -

Huck Finn Petition Goes to School Board

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

"The bottom line was: There was one student who felt uncomfortable," said Principal Richard Harper. "Our feeling was: We're not here to make kids feel uncomfortable, and if he felt uncomfortable, then it was a problem."

When I was a student, I was "uncomfortable" with certain other students in my classes.

Did I have them kicked out of class?

Of course not!!

Part of our education is learning tolerance and courage when confronted with "uncomfortable" circumstances.

That is what the real world is all about.

Catering to one student because he or she is a little uncomfortable sends the wrong message to all the rest of the students.

The same message applies to people who are uncomfortable with Christmas displays in schools or public buildings.

Why do they get special treatment?

Why don't they show some tolerance?

[jigsaw]

....said Principal Richard Harper. "Our feeling was: We're not here to make kids feel uncomfortable, and if he felt uncomfortable, then it was a problem."

The problem is with the kid, NOT the book, you idiot!

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

"We're not here to make kids feel uncomfortable, and if he felt uncomfortable, then it was a problem."

I agree. But it's not YOUR problem Richard.

[muawiyah]

How pitiful that no one is willing to make that kid feel "uncomfortable" about the historic fact of slavery.

Being fore-warned is to be fore-armed.

[LasVegasMac]

More PC, feel good, crap.

When will it stop?

LVM

[Founding Father]

I was damn uncomfortable with calculus---too bad I'm not a student today----I could have calculus abolished.

Thank goodness a public school education is about feeling good---not learning anything!

[Austin Willard Wright]

Idiots! A good education should make a kid feel "uncomfortable" at times.

[Rebelbase]

I have fond memory of my 6th grade teacher reading Huck Finn out loud to the class every day after lunch.

Her honey dripping voice added to the enjoyment.

[Bubba_Leroy]

We're not here to make kids feel uncomfortable, and if he felt uncomfortable, then it was a problem.

So does that mean that they are going to drop all of the pro-homosexual "Susie has Two Mommies" crap if it makes any of the children uncomfortable? I'll bet not.

[Tom D.]

"We're not here to make kids feel uncomfortable, and if he felt uncomfortable, then it was a problem. . ."

I guess they don't teach much math, science, grammar, or anything else that is difficult.

[Bubba_Leroy]

The funny thing is that Huck Finn was remarkably pro-civil rights and anti-racial bigotry for its time. But now it is being banned because it contains "the 'N' word."

[SamAdams76]

I think that the writings of Mark Twain, in particular, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer should be mandatory reading in school.

When I was in school, we were made to read Shakespeare. Now that made me feel mighty uncomfortable! But I was made to read it nevertheless.

[coloradan]

In other news, both world wars, the civil war, the war for independence, all of European history, the traveling conditions of the Pilgrims, and a few other things involving people getting owwies were also found to make a student uncomfortable and were dropped from the curriculum. As well as chemistry - too smelly, physics - hard, biology - gross, math - too complicated.

In their place, expanded curricula in fuzzy bunnies, multiculturalism, diversity, sensitivity, women's issues, gay issues, the environment, the UN, and prairie dog habitats will take their place, ensuring that well-rounded students will continue to get churned out from the nation's finest public schools mandatory government indoctrination centers.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

What if a kid is uncomfortable with sex education?

[stevem]

"The book is part of the curriculum at the 11th-grade vel," Paul said. "I agree that seventh grade is a bit young."

Why-oh-why are we afflicted in this nation with such stupid teachers? I'm not a teacher. I'm just a parent. When my kids were in the 4th grade I started them on much more challenging books. I started with Centennial by Michener. The way I always started was with about a 90 page story in the book about a cattle drive. Then I had them read a shorter story in the book about a wagon train trip. Each of my kids were so fascinated by these stories that they started the book and read it cover to cover.

Before they finished grade school each had read such things as Huck Finn, Tom Sawyer, Hawaii and numerous more that were considered way beyond their years. My son's 7th grade teacher once called me to make sure I was aware that he was reading Tom Clancy. I said I thought we could cope with that thought. Fact is, my kids and I spent many a fun hour discussing the books they read.

Letting one weird family dictate a class comfort level is the quintessential dumbing down. These teachers that let such a thing happen are too stupid to teach. They are too stupid to empty port-a-lets at the park. I don't know what there is productive for them to do. Maybe scrape the sludge from sewers around water treatment plants. They surely should never be in charge of kids' learning.

[Senator_Blutarski]

Gosh, how do you even begin to address everything that is wrong with this policy? Huckleberry Finn is one of the treasures of American Literature. It comes down on the right side of slavery and bigotry and preserves for our pleasure the dialect of the time and region. The book is filled with history, wit and human insight. The plotline is facinating. The characters are unique and real.

The only thing one can conclude is that the kid has a problem for which reading Huckleberry Finn is the right medicine.

Sadly, the Principal is beyond help and should go back under the rock (probably located in the College of Education in a State University) where they found him.

[patton]

My grandma read me Huck Finn, just after Tom Sawyer. Second grade, I think.

Then I was required to read Huck Finn in the 7th grade, in 9th grade, in 11th grade, and twice in college.

"What happened to Tom Sawyer," I asked?

"Nevermind."

[patton]

Lord and Lady McBeth

Are the epitome

Of all that a Host And Hostess

Should not be.

[dighton]

"The bottom line was: There was one student who felt uncomfortable," said Principal Richard Harper. "Our feeling was: We're not here to make kids feel uncomfortable, and if he felt uncomfortable, then it was a problem."

What gorgeous lunacy. Any education worth having -- anything worth having -- exacts a certain amount of discomfort pain.