Should To Kill A Mockingbird Be Taught In School

Dear Dr. Shoulkind,

I am writing to you with the intention to address Milken's use of the book To Kill a Mockingbird. In To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Atticus decides to represent Tom Robinson, a black man, who has been wrongly accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman, even though such a situation would cause him to face backlash from the community. Despite presenting a strong and powerful defense, Tom is found guilty and ultimately loses his life while attempting to flee from custody. To Kill a Mockingbird should be taught in school because teaching context along with the book will allow a student to form a strong opinion that is not only influenced by his/her blind spots but more importantly formed from many different perspectives

“A small boy clutching a Negro woman’s hand walked toward us. He looked all Negro to me: he was rich chocolate with flaring nostrils and beautiful teeth. Sometimes he would skip happily, and the Negro woman tugged his hand to make him stop” (163). This emphasizes the boy's innocence and humanity, being naive. It highlights the existing racial differences and prejudices. The black boy is skipping happily but is stopped by his mother in order to walk discreetly. His mother knows, as a black, to stay away from gaining unwanted attention that may raise hazards to racist white people. The language used in the quote, such as "Negro," "rich chocolate," and "flaring nostrils," reveals the racial biases and qualities that catch Scout's eyes. A woman educated by fear is stopping a little boy from being overly happy and excited just because it is drawing attention. This just shows the fear that black people face during day-to-day life. More specifically, this lady's walls are always up even when taking a walk on the street. This also highlights the different racial profiling between a white and a black on the street, making the black person seem less safe and more dangerous. According to Calpurnia, it is challenging for people to be fair and unbiased when discussing racial issues

"There's something in our world that makes men lose their heads—they couldn't be fair if they tried. In our courts, when it's a white man's word against a black man's, the white man always wins. They're ugly, but those are the facts of life." (251-252) According to Calpurnia, it's possible that people can't be objective when it comes to racial matters, which results in unfair treatment and unfairness. She points out that despite any proof to the contrary, the white guy is virtually always believed in court instances where it's a white man's word versus a black man's. The quote serves as a reflection on the nature of prejudice and discrimination and draws attention to the institutional racism and inequality that existed in the American South in the 1930s. Even the legal system was prejudiced against people of color since it captures the realities of the era and the continuous fights for equality and civil rights. The inclusion of "To Kill a Mockingbird" in school curriculums is valuable as it provides an opportunity for students to develop a well-informed and nuanced viewpoint on complex issues. By teaching the book's historical and social context alongside its narrative, students can gain insights from diverse perspectives, which can help them overcome any personal