Keep "To Kill A Mockingbird" in school classrooms

As a teenager, it can feel like decisions are constantly made for me. I am told what to do, what to think, and what to believe. Many teenagers can relate to this feeling.

This battle for the right to our own autonomy also extends into book banning. After doing some research, I found it surprising that influential novels taught in school are being banned nationwide. To Kill a Mockingbird, is one of those novels.

In this story, we follow the childhood of Scout and Jem Finch, as their father Atticus, defends a Black man falsely accused of rape.

The lessons this novel teaches us are still applicable today.

To Kill a Mockingbird should be allowed to be taught at the high school level because it teaches life lessons about racial prejudice, promotes treating others with respect and kindness, and encourages readers to see the world from different perspectives. 

Racial Prejudice

To Kill a Mockingbird teaches valuable life lessons about racial prejudice.

Atticus Finch, represents a strong liberal perspective in the small-town he lives in. In Chapter 20, Atticus speaks to the jury, and argues that the case of Tom Robinson requires no complicated sifting of facts, but does require them to be absolutely sure of his guilt.

He states, “To begin with, this case should never have come to trial. This case is as simple as black and white." This quote tasks the jury to confront their own biases, and Atticus's argument emphasizes the injustice of the trial and racism in the community.

In addition, the statement "black and white" serves as a metaphor to the racial prejudices that lead to Tom Robinson's unjust prosecution. In this way, students are taught how the justice system can be manipulated by biases, which can rein true in the real world. 

Respect and Kindness

To Kill a Mockingbird promotes treating others with respect and kindness.

In MitziAnn Stiltner’s dissertation “Don't Put Your Shoes on the Bed: A Moral Analysis of To Kill a Mockingbird,” she writes that, “Atticus verbally chastises his children for nosing into other people’s lives, he genuinely shows kindness and respect to Mrs. Dubose even after her condemnation of his work, and [works to] set right the wrong being placed upon Tom Robinson.”

Atticus teaches the boundaries of privacy and the importance of respecting others' personal space to his children.

Moreover, in the instances where Atticus shows kindness and respect to Mrs. Dubose, despite her condemnation of his work, shows student to respect others even when they don’t show the same respect back.

These concrete examples provided by Stiltner are available to teachers in the novel, which makes it a valuable resource in classroom.

Different Perspectives

To Kill a Mockingbird also encourages readers to see the world from different perspectives.

In Chapter 3, Atticus gives Scout a piece of moral advice and says, "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."

This quote reflects Atticus's values on being empathetic and understanding of others, which encourages Scout to see the world from others' perspectives.

In addition, this ises the question of “How do I get along with people who are different from me?” This question is important for students to ask, because in the long run, they will learn to understand the importance of coexisting in a diverse society, while also teaching tolerance and acceptance. 

Final Thoughts

To Kill a Mockingbird should be allowed to be taught at the high school level because it teaches us about racial prejudice, treating others with respect and kindness, and looking at multiple perspectives.

The novel transcends time, still resonating with the challenges and complexities of our world today.