Popular Book About Police Brutality and Black Lives Matter Banned by Texas School District | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

Popular Book About Police Brutality and Black Lives Matter Banned by Texas School District

They say it's banned for vulgar language, but I have to side eye that. Hard.

128
Popular Book About Police Brutality and Black Lives Matter Banned by Texas School District
Amazon

I wanted to wait a while before I wrote my first “controversial” post, but when I found out that one of my favorite books of 2017, The Hate U Give was banned by a school district in Texas, I threw my doubts and worries out the window and began writing. The story deals with the main character Starr, witnessing her childhood friend Khalil, an unarmed black youth being shot by a white police officer. Starr lives in the fictional city of Garden Heights, but she goes to a prep school in a more affluent, white neighborhood. We follow her story as she struggles internally while she’s dealing with Khalil’s death. In her neighborhood, the community is obviously outraged with the death of Khalil, while at her school, Starr constantly hears what Khalil should or shouldn’t have done to avoid getting shot. The Katy Independent School District, where only 11 percent of the students are African American, says that the book was banned in school libraries for its vulgar language, but I’m calling BS.

Before I started to pursue writing full-time, I was a high school English teacher, and “vulgar language” in a book should be the last thing that a school district should worry about. The characters in The Hate U Give are in high school, and the way they speak in the book mirrors how 21st century high school students speak. And there are young adults all over this country that are dealing with the same issues as Starr and the kids in Garden Heights. Like many other books that have been banned over the years, The Hate U Give is about something that is not only a sensitive subject but is incredibly relevant: police brutality, systemic racism, and microaggressions. All of which are difficult to talk about, and depending on who you’re speaking to about these topics, could cause an argument. And there are still people out there that believe that if you speak out against police brutality, then you are anti-cop, if you say "Black Lives Matter" then you obviously don't care about anyone else; even though we've said time and time again that that is a terrible misconception and you're missing the point completely, but deaf ears, right? So, I'll say it one more time for you: just because you speak out against police brutality DOES NOT mean you are anti-cop, because, just like everything else, there is good and bad to everything. Just because we say "Black Lives Matter" that DOES NOT mean we don't care about anyone else, it's the fact that black bodies have meant nothing to this country for a very long time. You don't burst into a breast cancer walk and scream out "All cancers matter" do you? But let's be honest, if you're one of those people that don't believe that police brutality exists, what I just said went in one ear and out the other.

And I personally feel that that is the reason that the school district decided to ban the book. Now, like I said, I taught high school and was asked several times by students if we could read this book in class. Do you know how hard it is to get teenagers interested in reading something for class? Let alone having them suggest the book? I would have said yes in a heartbeat, because this is one of the most important novels for young adults and adults to read, even though some adults tend to be a little more closed minded than others`. Just like Angie Thomas put on her twitter, the Katy School District is silencing the voices of Garden Heights. Though the town is fictional, their experiences are far from it, with communities all over the country that know exactly what Starr and the other residents of Garden Heights are going through. When I first read the book, I had to take a break from reading it for a few days, as it was that emotionally heavy for me. And when I finally finished it, I cried for a good while. In the back of my head, I thought about my dad, my brother, my friends, who at any point of any day could be in the same exact position as Khalil. And if, God forbid, that ever happened, how the media and how people who turn a blind eye to police brutality would skew their image to justify why something like that would happen to them. I saw myself in Starr.

The Hate U Give has to be one of the best books of 2017, yes, that is my opinion, but the countless awards that author Angie Thomas has received for her debut novel don’t seem to be disagreeing with me. The Hate U Give spells out the word “thug” and is taken from Tupac Shakur’s THUG LIFE, “The Hate U Give Little Infants Fucks Everybody.” I'll post a video clip of Angie Thomas herself discussing how Tupac inspired the title of her novel at the bottom of the article. While I get that parents want to protect their kids from everything, it doesn't sit well with me that the language in the book is more important and worrisome than the topic of innocent, unarmed people dying at the hands of those who are supposed to be protecting us.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

1087
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

655
10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

199767
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

20617
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments