Why not burn books?
Censorship is alive and well in at least one Indiana school.
Connie Heermann, a teacher for 27 years, sought permission to introduce the book to her students last autumn after attending a training workshop held by the Freedom Writers Foundation. “If you read the whole book you will see how these inner-city students grow and change and become articulate, compassionate, educated young people who want to do something good in their lives despite the environment in which they were raised,” she told the Guardian. “I thought my students would very much relate to those kids.”
Her head agreed and Heermann got written permission from nearly 150 parents, but the Perry Meridian high school board urged her to wait for its decision.
Teachers’ union officials say that a single board member objected to swearing in the book. The school board member allegedly persuaded the other six officials to ban Heermann from teaching the book. It remains available in school libraries.
Keep in mind that these children are high school age and that most of them have, at one time or another, already heard the swearing that one school board member objected to. Not only that, but according to the article, the students were already reading and enjoying the book when the teacher was instructed not to teach it.
Searching through Amazon books I read the reviews of this book. Most were rated 5 stars. But a few were rated 1 and I have no doubt that those few were the same kind of people that suspended Heerman because she had the audacity to want to teach kids how to write well. An example:
By Margie “Teacher” (Virginia) - See all my reviews
I believe Erin Gruwell taught the classes. I believe she took the kids on great field trips and got them involved in great topics, with great speakers. I believe they achieved, and learned to express themselves.
I don’t believe angry, academically behind ninth graders wrote three pages for their first journal entries of the year. I don’t believe they were as analytical of their situations as she says. I certainly don’t believe that was the grammar or spelling of an ESOL student, or a student reading on a third grade level.
If she really taught these kids - she should have put in what they really wrote.
I’ve taught kids for thirty years. Urban juvenile delinguents to priveleged suburban kids. Nobody is writing like that on the first day of school.
I’d like to hear from the teacher across the hall. I’d like to see copies of the actual jounal entries - I find it suspicious that these aren’t included.
It’s a shame that a good tale is marred by what appears to me to be fraud.
Emphasis mine, of course. (I would like to note that I am not a teacher and have never claimed to be.)
The above comment was made by a teacher. Of 30 years, no less. One who, apparently, isn’t aware of spellcheck and/or grammatical accuracy. This is the type of person that would object to an inspiring tale being taught in a classroom of impressionable young people. Why should these students strive to achieve better when this teacher doesn’t strive to improve herself? Another sad case of “I do it this way and no other way is good”. Bah! Censorship like this is for cowards. Those that are happy with the status quo and who sweat at the mere thought of anything changing- for good or bad. It’s disgusting to me that a teacher is muzzled like this while there are still teachers that willingly tell their teachers that the world was created exactly 6,000 years ago. It really makes my head spin.
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If I could read books with politically incorrect terms and thoughts; If I could read Shakespeare in HS where women were treated like chattel; Where black people in America were still enslaved; Where racial and female referencing epithets were on the pages; If we could read books advocating wild sexual promiscuity… while in High School then… [what was my point?] Oh yeah…
I am a HUGE literary advocate. Books, like movies of older genres can reflect a culture; a mindset…Ideas are propagated through books and minds can open and expand… Worlds are made and torn apart with the words in a book and can evoke emotion and spur to action! Dangerous things are books for the fearful and fear-based!
But we’re living in an “offensive” age my dear. “Everyone” is offendable and offended. Thoughts and being policed and attempts at controlling ideas are pervasive! This is George Orwells 1984 coming to pass.
And I prophecy that in the year 2048 - in America - censorship of books in High School will be a mainstay. Nothing will allowed but thought memes friendly toward everyone. That and big pharmas rapidly-increasing “happy pills” will surely make for one mind-numbing time.
I mean that literally: Numb.
Samsara’s last blog post..Top 7 Drunk and Alcoholic Related Episodes as a Kid
I want to thank you for your thoughtful story and commentary about my wife, Connie Heermann.
Connie and I have been in a struggle with the Perry Township School Board since January of this year (she was removed from the classroom last November, however).
When we began this struggle,we had no idea how it would resonate with the public. Media coverage began with an “above the fold” front page story on January 22, in the Indianapolis Star. Then all the local TV stations covered her removal from the classroom.
Erin Gruwell herself took the red-eye and testified in the second day of hearings. Each day of hearings lasted 6 hours each.
At the outset, we were pretty sure we would lose. The Board attorney, Jon Bailey, had made several disparaging comments before the hearings, including “she will never teach again,” “she has zero chance with this board,” etc.
But through all this we have felt we have touched a nerve with the public — not only locally — but internationally. Connie’s harsh suspension has been covered by CNN, Newsweek (Anna Quindlen), The Huffington Post, The L.A. Times, The Guardian (U.K. and The Telegraph (U.K.), to name a few. But what is most exciting, is the coverage that caring bloggers like yourself have done. I google “Connie Heermann” several times a day. I see blogs in different languages discussing Connie’s plight. News doesn’t die today like it did not so long ago: it lives on and gets redistributed by bloggers, etc., via the internet. It is a great mechanism for grassroots movement. It’s hard to cover up things anymore, isn’t that marvelous.
We are now working with the local teachers union to see if we can take our sentence to federal court. The union is now reviewing the case. Nothing much will happen until at least October.
Meanwhile Connie is teaching this fall at a local community college. She is being asked to speak on censorship at the Indianapolis Museam of Art in August.
When all this insanity began my sister said: “something better will become of this.” I consider that ironic. Those exact words were spoken by Erin Gruwell in Connie’s hearing.
Thanks again.I would enjoy corresponding with you more.
P.S. Recently Connie was covered by local WISH TV as she was going to California to receive more training from Erin Gruwell. The reporter also inteviews the new board president. Instead of commenting on Connie’s continued dedication to teacher by attending the workshop, the board president just complains about bad media coverage. I urge you to see it. It is so revealing: the board doesn’t seem to care how much a teacher is dedicated to teaching — just if they are in line with authority. It is a very sad situation in Perry Township right now.
http://www.wishtv.com/global/video/popup/pop_player.asp?ClipID1=2708996&h1=Suspended%20teacher%20making%
Tom Heermann
Better known now as “Connie’s Husband”
10:24 PM
Hi, Tom,
Thanks for the update. What happened to your wife was beyond the pale. Someone should really lose their job for their treatment of her.
I’m glad that things are moving along and that she’s still teaching in some capacity. It’s a sad day when a teacher can’t even allow her students to discuss a book about inspired teenagers.