Educating the Educators
Posted in Student Union by R Lee Wrights on January 17th, 2002 by Aaron Biterman
“Ms. Stanley, I don’t think we should have to read Toni Morrison’s Beloved because we cannot relate it back to ourselves,” Greg said. Ms. Stanley just got through screaming at our class because no one was speaking about the book. It was an Advanced Placement English class, and Greg had thought that he could pave his own destiny better than the district curriculum. But he was shut down quickly.
“You know, Greg, I really don’t see what the problem is,” Ms. Stanley replied. “We have to read this book, and it does relate to you, believe you me.” Not wanting to argue with the determined teacher, the class gave in. Students began discussing the book, forced against their will, in order to please the teacher — the very person who would determine their grade. The problem with the book was simple: We, as white, upper-class, suburban high school teenagers had a difficult time relating Beloved, the chronicles, trials, and struggles of an African-American family after the Civil War, to ourselves. But all of that was irrelevant to the teacher.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Well, this segment has been a long time coming and for good reason. It’s hard to say good-bye to a friend you’ve known all your life.
