Huckleberry Finn Should Be Taught In Schools

The First Amendment provides the right to free speech, but school districts are finding it hard to voice theirs. Topics of religious views, sexual education, and offensive language have become a controversial issue amongst mothers, fathers, and schools. Debates about these issues lead parents and board members to question the material being taught to children in schools. Different beliefs and ways of life have caused a tense and uneasy feeling to sweep over schools. Before launching into a new year, a school should look through planned curriculum and instruction, and take into account what may be appropriate for the current age of the students, how parents or guardians will react to the topics being studied, and if there is a topic option

One of the books that receive negative attention from schools and parents is the 1884 novel by Mark Twain, Huckleberry Finn. Twain’s text deals with the disturbing reality of racism, which is considered too mature for students to read. Critics of the book have highlighted the fact that not all secondary school classroom’s students are subtle or supple readers, which may cause pupils to take offense to the text. While this may be true, it gives the students the right of engaging in their own confrontation of their insecurities and prejudice feelings (Henry). By being shielded from the world’s views and the public’s opinions, as children mature and live life in the real world, it comes as a culture shock to hear vulgar language and topics not integrated into daily lives. Having not been somewhat exposed to world issues from a young age, it could lead to misunderstanding the society they have grown up in (Student

Nonfiction has had an increase in popularity recently and age-appropriate subjects are more readily accessible for younger pupils and can be seen as an important instrument for skill growth and as a foundation of reading outside of school for pleasure for younger students. A combination of both fiction and nonfiction will stimulate the minds of the youth and help teachers as they include factual text in their instruction (Palmer and Stewart). Listening to and discussing true events and people can provide background information and inspire new students to study more about a subject. Through letters and school meetings teachers can communicate with parents about age-appropriate nonfiction that can be read at home. Students would then develop skills to independently access these topics on their own with support from both their parents and teachers (Palmer and