For the past few weeks we have been on the topic of banned literature, appropriateness of literature, and the intention of use in a classroom setting. After discussion of The Book Thief during last weeks class, Todd made an interesting statement about educators censoring the books they choose to use in their own classrooms, stating something along the lines of, 'what is the difference between banned books and teachers censoring their book choices?' This question really got me, and I found myself considering ways in which to include books I otherwise would have not considered for classroom use.
After today's discussion and reading of And Tango Makes Three, Laura mentioned that it was the #1 banned book in the US. I love this book and have read it many times, but I had not considered the problems that might come with using the book in a classroom setting until recently. My thoughts on using controversial books in the classroom are mixed and often go unresolved. As a future educator valuing diversity and multiculturalism in literature and curriculum, I think using books like And Tango Makes Three are a great addition to classroom literature and help students understand diversity within their communities, but in a time when the field of education is experiencing so much negative attention and teacher's rights are being decimated left an right, I have to wonder if more teachers are not willing to teach controversial topics and books because of this.
I wonder how curriculum has been affected by new policies, and wonder if my colleagues are experiencing similar fears about their future classrooms and job sustainability. My question is, how do my fellow future educators feel about using controversial topics and teaching progressively in a time when their jobs might be at risk because of it? In what ways can progressive education empower students and why might many people fear its use in a classroom setting?
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