African-Canadian Students: To Kill a Mockingbird

In this novel, African-Canadian students are presented with language that portrays all the stereotypical generalizations that demean them as a people. While the White student and White teacher may misconstrue it as language of an earlier era or the way it was, this language is still widely used today and the book serves as a tool to reinforce its usage even further. The terminology in this novel subjects students to humiliating experiences that rob them of their self-respect and the respect of their peers. The word "Nigger" is used 48 times in the novel. There are many available books which reflect the past history of African-Canadians or Americans without subjecting African-Canadian learners to this type of degradation. I believe that the English Language Arts curriculum in Nova Scotia must enable all students to feel comfortable with ideas, feelings and experiences presented without fear of humiliation. To Kill a Mockingbird is clearly a book that no longer meets these goals and therefore must no longer be used for classroom instruction.