A Mississippi school district has pulled “To Kill a Mockingbird” from eighth grade classrooms because the novel “makes people uncomfortable.”
According to The Sun Herald, the school board did not vote on the move, but rather it was an administrative and department decision made on Wednesday or Thursday.
“There were complaints about it. There is some language in the book that makes people uncomfortable, and we can teach the same lesson with other books,” Kenny Holloway, Biloxi School Board vice president told the paper. “It’s still in our library. But they’re going to use another book in the 8th grade course.”
The Harper Lee novel has repeatedly appeared on the American Library Association’s list of the most banned or challenged books due to repeated use of a racial slur and its exploration of racism and discrimination.
The Biloxi decision was met with widespread condemnation on social media.
Progress is built on a steep incline and we backslide fast. Books like To Kill A Mockingbird are there to lift us when we need it. Like now. https://t.co/1GeBsQFKkH
— Michael Green (@andmichaelgreen) October 14, 2017
Oh. My. God. Your addiction to comfort has eclipsed your morality. Time to grow up, America. https://t.co/grEGodoWww
— Ana Gasteyer (@AnaGasteyer) October 14, 2017
Every human should read To Kill A Mockingbird ..if they get real lucky they will understand it & apply it to their lives https://t.co/K2eai4rwXT
— Kirstie Alley (@kirstiealley) October 14, 2017
Biloxi MS school officials ban ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ – a story of racial inequality. This is racist censorship. https://t.co/qU96j8Ly2k
— Kristen Clarke (@KristenClarkeJD) October 14, 2017
The fact To Kill a Mockingbird still makes people in Mississippi "uncomfortable" is no reason to ban it #BannedBooks https://t.co/9IOmA20GWr
— PEN America (@PENamerica) October 14, 2017
Teach only “comfortable” books about racism in America, and you get students raised to be comfortable with racism. https://t.co/pRBq2C9NSW
— Jamil Smith جميل كريم (@JamilSmith) October 14, 2017