Should To Kill A Mockingbird Be Taught In Schools Essay

Paul Hammer Mrs. Andrews English 2 May 1 2024 To Kill A Mockingbird’s debate To Kill A Mockingbird is a book, made by Harper Lee, which shows the learning experiences of the young, white main character, Scout, and her brother, Jem, during the segregation period. The book, however, is being heavily debated on whether this book should be taught to kids in the 9th grade at Belle Chasse High School. Many parents, and some teachers, say that the book’s setting of the segregation period is “offensive” and should not be taught to the students. I, however, feel that the students are missing out on this incredible book. The book teaches how life was during the segregation period, without being supportive of it and not ignoring it. The book also sets

An article by Samuel Misa called, Why “To Kill a Mockingbird” should be taught, gives good examples and reasoning on why the book should be taught. In her source, Misa exclaims that, “It’s better to introduce the disturbing parts of life in a controlled classroom environment that helps prevent students from using the language that enables them to move past it if and when they encounter it in their lives,” (Misa, paragraph 2). The book allows students to learn about the harsh reality of the world, and its past. Misa also makes sure to include the character in her reasoning, as “Like most characters in fiction as well as real life, “Ms. Mayella is not entirely ‘evil’ (or evil at all), “ (Misa, paragraph 4). Misa’s reasoning is highly credible and reasonable, backed by heaps of indisputable

In her article, Shannon explains one of the main properties of the book, racism, and how this property is overlooked. Shannon explains that, “... the book depicts racism; it does not promote or ignore it. As all literary works depict conflict, it would be impossible to suggest that we avoid any literary work that portrays evil, “ (Shannon, paragraph 2). Shannon uses other works similar to the book to show that most, if not all, literary works depict some form of evil. Shannon also explains that the book does not fully focus on the idea of racism, but uses it as a key element in the book that shapes the plot and events. Shannon also explains the learning benefits of reading the book, such as, “... the book not only introduces teenagers to the problems of the past, but also leads them to make connections to the world in which they live today, making this decades-old work very relevant, “(Shannon, paragraph 3). Shannon uses good reasoning on the educational side of the book, as the book teaches students about racial conflict in a way that won't discriminate or influence a student in a bad way. Thirdly, if the sources don't seem trustworthy, or seem biased, the book has multiple examples of its more healthy way of teaching students from the past. In the book during chapter 18, Lee shows that Mayella, despite having false accusations against Tom