"F WORD" 53 TIMES IN A BOOK ROCKWOOD AND TEACHERS RECOMMEND TO KIDS AS YOUNG AS 11 YEARS OLD FOR CLASS READING
"The Hate U Give."
The book has excerpts like this...
“Fuck the police! Fuck the police! Devante continues to shout. Vante, man, come on, says Seven. “I ain’t scared of them! Fuck the police!” —page 396
78 copies of “The Hate U Give" are in libraries of Rockwood's middle schools and high schools. It has also been assigned reading for language arts classes.
The book tells the story of a black teen watching in horror as her black friend is shot and killed by a white police officer during a traffic stop.
While it’s an award winning book that addresses current issues in society, it portrays police as racist, is filled with profanity, and includes mature content. Many parents say it’s not appropriate for young children or a school setting.
Parent Reaction:
This mom says her 6th grader was assigned to read the book last year, for language arts.
”I told her to tell her teacher my mom refuses to buy The Hate you give and if she has questions have her reach out to me.” —Rockwood middle school parent
Police asked schools not to use it.
The Fraternal Order of Police chapter in South Carolina asked for “The Hate U Give” to be removed from schools, calling it "almost an indoctrination of distrust of police..."
https://www.marshall.edu/library/bannedbooks/the-hate-u-give/
Connection to rapper Tupac Shakur:
The author says the title comes from Shakur’s “Thug Life” tattoo:
The Hate U Give Little Infants Fucks Everybody. T-H-U-G-L-I-F-E.
”Here's How Tupac And THUG LIFE Inspired The Hate U Give
Tupac Inspired Angie Thomas's New Book | The Hate U Give
It’s on the most challenged/banned books around the country, for:
2020: profanity and anti police message.
2018: because it was deemed “anti-cop,” and for profanity, drug use, and
sexual references.
2017: because it was considered “pervasively vulgar” and because of drug use,
profanity, and offensive language. Top 10 Most Challenged Books Lists
Approved by Rockwood for class reading.
Teachers can recommend it to read for language arts in grades 6-12.
This 7th grade teacher recommended it, this school year, at Rockwood South Middle school:
GRATUITOUS PROFANITY: 300 instances
Fuck used 53 times
Ass used 58 times
Shit used 100 times
Damn used 77 times
Bitch used 12 times
There is also mature content like underage drinking, drug use, and, intimate acts:
This is the scene where the white police officer shoots the black teen:
Connection to the Black Panthers:
Their Ten Point Program is recited in the book: calling for immediate end to police brutality.
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Other ways Rockwood used "The Hate U Give (THUG):"
Movie clip 1: white cop shoots black teen
Movie clip 2: oppressed in an affluent school; terms from social agenda
See WHY Rockwood teachers have used THUG in classroom assignments.
It's pushed by this resource that Rockwood pays for: Teachers College Reading & Writing Project
________
ACTION:
Rockwood parents challenged “The Hate U Give,” in part, because movie clips from the book were being used to teach concepts in language arts classes.
DECISION: retained without restriction
Rockwood has said it won't use the movie clips to teach concepts in lessons, but, the book is still approved to be read for language arts classes.
The book is in middle and high school libraries in Rockwood.
DETAILS:
LANGUAGE ARTS
LIBRARY
Parent Concerns:
Anti-police theme
Gratuitous profanity
Mature content
Status:
Available to kids as young as 6th grade/11 years old