‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ Pulled From Washington School Over ‘Harmful’ Discussion Concerns

Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird” was removed from the ninth grade required reading list at schools in Mukilteo, Washington last week.

The school district signed off on a request from parents, students, and others to pull the book, but teachers will still have the option to include the novel in their curriculum.

“We don’t want to harm any students, but at the same time we want to have fruitful discussions that are not harmful, but at the same time prepare students as they go on to the next level,” Mike Simmons, Mukilteo school district board president, said in a statement.

During a school board meeting on Monday, teachers, students and parents, spoke out about allowing “To Kill A Mockingbird” to remain on the students’ reading list.

“It was clear from the comments received that there are many legitimate and thoughtful opinions about this novel and its place in school curriculum,” said Diane Bradford, a district spokesperson.

“The students who shared their experiences and thoughts with the board were especially compelling in their reasoning that there are other novels that can teach similar literary conventions and themes without causing further harm to students.”

Esaw Adhana, a junior at Kamiak High School in Mukilteo, told a local outlet he was uncomfortable when he had to discuss the book during his freshman year.

“I want to learn and get a good grade in this class, but it’s also kind of weird to be talking about this,” he explained.

“It’s not just language, but it’s also, like, the sort of white savior complex. I think the lessons and ideas of racial injustice are super important, TKAM, at least how we teach it, is not the best sample. The way we teach it now is just really uncomfortable and almost invasive.”

The 1960 novel follows the story of a Black man who was falsely accused of sexually assaulting a white woman during the Jim Crow era.

The tale is told through the eyes of a young white girl who becomes more aware of the racism in her hometown. The n-word is also used throughout the book.

The latest ban of “To Kill A Mockingbird” comes as schools all over the country have pulled certain books from their curriculum due to a variety of topics, including racial inequality and sexual assault.