Burlingame's Kaffir Boy? brouhaha (Aaron Kinney in the San Mateo Times)
The Burlingame School District's decision to ban? a book based on the experience of a boy growing up in apartheid South Africa has become national news. But the reality of the story is a lot more mundane than the word ban,? with its connotations of oppressive government censorship, would suggest.
District Superintendent Sonny Da Marto pulled Kaffir Boy? from four eighth-grade classrooms at Burlingame Intermediate School after a couple parents complained that Mark Mathabane's autobiography uses graphic language to describe a scene of sexual violence. As it turns out, the class was using an unabridged version of the book that the author himself deems too explicit for middle-school students. To that end, he publishes a version of the book, which is taught in schools across the country, that omits the graphic passages and is intended for middle-school use. I felt it was appropriate, since the book became popular with middle school students and teachers, to come up with an age-appropriate version,? Mathabane explained in an email to the Times. Mathabane wrote that the controversy arose when the students were mistakenly assigned the high school version.?
Dave Pine, president of the district's Board of Trustees, said the district has ordered copies of the modified version and expects Burlingame Intermediate to have them by the end of the year, so students can finish the story. The board has also asked Da Marto to look at the district's policy for reviewing books, since the abrupt removal of Kaffir Boy? may have helped spark this controversy, Pine said.
Perhaps Mathabane can bring some of the abridged books with him April 30 when he visits the school. Pine said the author has agreed to stop by and discuss the book with students, which provides a nice ending to this chapter of the Kaffir Boy? story. I hope that the net result of this will be positive,? Pine said, although I appreciate that it has been very difficult for the middle school community.?
Question – wouldn't a simple "communication" from the superintendent to the principal, Ms Ramos, parents(!) and students stating that "a mistake had been made (mea culpa) and that we have ordered new books today and they can resume their studies as soon as the books arrive" have been the way to handle this? Weeks ago? Whether it was a mistake or otherwise?
This BGO solution might have saved it being "very difficult for the middle school community", saved the kids from rushing around the stores buying the book (abridged or not), and would have assured the students that they could finish the book under Ms. Ramos' guidance.
– Written by Fiona
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