Three weeks ago, I posted on Facebook the news that my book, They Called Themselves the K.K.K., is being challenged in the Nashville Metro Public Schools.
This week, my book is under review there. A committee of seven will determine its fate.
Authors often say that their books are like children to them, and they’re right. As I raised this book, They Called Themselves the K.K.K., it kept me up at night, made me cry and made me angry, made me worry and made me frustrated, and yet it inspired me and filled me with wonder at the courage of the human spirit.
But now the book is grown, and it must stand on its own. I cannot follow it around and clean up after it or tell it how to act. I can only hope that when my back is turned, it continues to do as it was raised. (And if it’s like its mother, it will be headstrong and curious and . . . well, that’s another blog.)
As I mentioned in yesterday’s blog, the amazing actor Dion Graham narrated the audio version of They Called Themselves the K.K.K. Over the course of our work together, we had several intense conversations.
We talked about our growing up years. We talked about our children. We talked about writing and acting.
We talked about the need to know and understand history, so that we aren’t surprised when it shows up in our present.
We talked about American history, and how it reveals deep contradictions – times when our actions haven’t lived up to the words of our Constitution and Declaration of Independence.
We talked about the fact that our history has so many stories that reveal a darker side to our nation’s character – as well as many stories in our history that instill pride, courage, and hope.
During that first phone call, when Dion asked me “What do you hope readers and listeners of this book will take away?” I told him that I wish for this book to shine a light on the dark side of our history. After all, isn’t that how we release its power?
Diane R. Chen said...
1I believe in this book. I resist any efforts to remove this book from my collection and I am willing to fight to keep this in our Nashville Schools. Unfortunately it was one of my parents who challenged this title, and initially, my principal simply wanted it to go away. The teacher involved and I have stuck to procedure and are forcing this to go through the process. We believe this is an important part of history. Our eighth grade history teachers plan to use this in their lessons on Reconstruction. Hang in there. You are not alone in fighting for your baby.
11/9/10 12:23 PM | Comment Link
Susan Norwood said...
2I am the teacher who had this book in her classroom library until the principal called me into his office to justify why I had it. Ironically, I thought that it would be relevant to our students, 50% of whom are African American. Why would anyone not want to learn about the terrorist group that grew up here in Middle Tennessee and still exists?
I do not believe that we ought to let hate groups thrive under the cloak of secrecy. By all means, expose them! The best way to fight an enemy, such as the KKK, is to know them. Middle school students are not so young that they need to be shilded from the truth. After all, young adults have been the victims of violence. Emmett Till was murdered at the age of 14. This book empowers young people by giving them the facts.
The people who fear your book have judged it by its cover–exactly what the Klan hoped for with its ghost-like mask. I hope that the committee who determine the fate of your book will do the right thing and support knowledge over ignorance.
I support this book and so do others who are interested in education.
11/9/10 11:15 PM | Comment Link