A former Tory councillor tried to ban my novel Pigeon English. Why should pupils suffer because of him?

A Conservative councillor has sparked outrage after he tried to ban a novel from his local school's reading list. The book in question is Angie Thomas's bestseller "The Hate U Give", which deals with themes of racism and police brutality. However, it seems that the issue at hand is not the content of the book itself, but rather the councillor's own discomfort with its portrayal of difficult social issues.

James Farquharson, a former councillor who has objected to having his novel "Pigeon English" by Stephen Kelman on the school's reading list, appears to be trying to censor literature that could help students engage with complex topics and empathise with different perspectives. His objections are based on concerns about profane language and depictions of violence, but they seem to ignore the fact that these elements serve a purpose in the story - namely, to illustrate the harsh realities faced by some individuals.

The author of "Pigeon English", Stephen Kelman, argues that his novel provides students with an opportunity to engage with difficult content and develop critical thinking skills. He points out that many students have told him that the book has helped them feel seen and understood, and that it has sparked important discussions about social justice and empathy.

Kelman also draws a parallel between the reactions of some readers who are offended by his work and those who reacted to Caravaggio's painting "Madonna di Loreto", which depicted the feet of peasants worshiping Christ. He argues that both cases highlight the tension between artistic expression and prudish sensitivities, and suggests that we should be more open to exploring difficult subjects in literature.

Ultimately, Kelman believes that reading books that challenge our assumptions and make us uncomfortable is essential for personal growth and empathy. By exposing students to diverse perspectives and ideas, teachers can help them develop a deeper understanding of the world and its complexities.

The incident highlights a broader issue - the tendency to avoid discomfort and difficult conversations in an effort to maintain social cohesion or avoid controversy. However, as Kelman notes, this approach can have the opposite effect, leading to desensitisation to the suffering of others and a lack of empathy.

Schools play a critical role in fostering empathy and critical thinking skills, particularly among young people. By providing students with access to literature that challenges their assumptions and encourages them to think critically about social issues, teachers can help shape a more informed and compassionate generation.

I'm so worried about James Farquharson trying to ban "The Hate U Give" from his local school's reading list . Like, what's the point of even having a library if you're not gonna challenge people's perspectives? This book is about real-life struggles and injustices that need to be talked about. By censoring it, he's basically telling kids that their voices don't matter or that they can't handle uncomfortable truths .

And can we talk about how this councillor is being super hypocritical with his own book "Pigeon English"? If he's okay with kids reading a novel that's similar in tone to "The Hate U Give", then why is he trying to ban it? It just feels like he's more concerned with being popular and not rocking the boat, rather than doing what's best for his community .

We need more empathy and understanding in our schools, not less. By reading books that challenge their assumptions, kids can develop critical thinking skills and become better humans . We should be encouraging them to think for themselves, not shielding them from uncomfortable truths .

what's up with this councillor man?! trying to ban books from schools because they make him uncomfortable is so not cool . like, if we're really gonna tackle racism and police brutality, we gotta be willing to have some tough conversations . I mean, "The Hate U Give" isn't just about a black girl's story, it's about the system that's broken .

and can we talk about how this councillor is trying to censor literature? like, what's next? gonna ban art and music too?! . Schools are supposed to be places where kids are challenged to think critically and empathize with others, not sheltered from the harsh realities of life .

I love that Stephen Kelman's authoring is standing up for free speech and pushing back against this censorship attempt . we need more people like him advocating for our rights to read and learn .

I'm so sick of ppl trying 2 censor books just cuz they make us uncomfortable . Like what's wrong with exploring tough topics? It's not gonna hurt anyone, it'll actually help ppl understand each other better . I think the author is spot on in saying we should be more open to discussing difficult subjects in literature. It's all about personal growth and empathy, right? We can't just ignore or downplay issues like racism and police brutality, we need to face them head-on and have real conversations about 'em . Censoring books is just a cop-out and it's unfair to students who need that kind of education .

I'm totally not okay with this dude trying to ban books from schools ! Like, if we're trying to teach kids empathy and critical thinking skills, shouldn't we be exposing them to stuff that makes them uncomfortable? It's like saying "let's keep it simple" when we should be diving into the hard stuff. What's wrong with some profanity or violence if it helps us understand real-life issues? We gotta trust our kids to handle it and have those tough conversations themselves. By banning books that spark discussion, we're actually doing them a disservice. We need more books like "The Hate U Give" out there!

come on guy what's next gonna be banning books by Toni Morrison or Gabriel Garcia Marquez? like seriously who gets offended by some profane language and violence in "The Hate U Give"? the kid wrote about her own experiences with racism and police brutality, you can't just erase that. schools should be teaching kids how to think critically not sugarcoat everything for their feelings. kelman's right we need more of these kinds of books in our curriculum not less.

I'm so done with people trying to censor books that actually spark important conversations . It's like they're scared of making their students uncomfortable and forcing them to confront the harsh realities of the world . Newsflash: the only way we'll ever create real change is by facing our differences head-on, not running away from them .

And let's be real, most schools are already doing a great job of preparing students for the complexities of life – they're just trying to make it relevant and relatable . I mean, who doesn't want their kids to grow up thinking critically about social justice and empathy? It's like we're afraid of being too open-minded and inclusive .

The thing is, books like "The Hate U Give" aren't just about profanity or violence – they're about giving voice to those who need it most . They're about challenging our assumptions and making us uncomfortable, which is exactly what we need more of in this world . So, let's all take a deep breath, put on our big kid pants, and let the kids read their books .

I was just thinking the other day about how our internet browsing history is always being tracked... like, isn't it weird how those cookies stick around even after you close your tab? Anyway, back to this news... I'm with Stephen Kelman on this one - can't let fear of controversy stop us from having real conversations about hard topics. It's actually kinda cool that "The Hate U Give" has been helping students feel seen and understood... my niece read it in school and now she's super passionate about social justice . But, have you guys ever noticed how some books just get banned or challenged without anyone really thinking about the impact? I mean, what if we were reading more books like "Pigeon English" instead of avoiding them altogether? Just food for thought

I'm so frustrated when I see politicians trying to control what kids are reading in school . Like, shouldn't they be learning how to navigate tough stuff? It's not like the book is telling them to go out and be racist or violent, it's just showing them that sometimes bad things happen and people get hurt . I think we need to be teaching kids how to have real conversations about this kind of thing, not trying to sugarcoat everything for their own comfort. It's so important for kids to learn empathy and critical thinking skills, and books like "The Hate U Give" are a great way to do that . We should be supporting our schools in making them more inclusive and diverse, not trying to censor what's being taught .

this councillor is trying to censor books that deal with tough topics like racism and police brutality it's like he wants students to be oblivious to the struggles of others they need to be exposed to different perspectives and ideas if we don't tackle these issues head-on, we'll just keep repeating the same mistakes schools should be a safe space for discussions and debates about social justice not a place where people can avoid feeling uncomfortable

"The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas is an important book that helps students understand different experiences and empathize with others it's not just a story, it's a way to spark conversations and raise awareness about social issues we need more books like this in schools, not less

teachers are the ones who can help shape a generation of compassionate and informed young people they should be supporting students in exploring complex topics, not trying to silence them

I'm so done with this stuff ! Can't believe some councillor thinks they can just ban books from schools like it's nobody's business . Newsflash: kids need to be challenged, not coddled . I mean, "The Hate U Give" is a bestseller for a reason - it's a wake-up call about the harsh realities of racism and police brutality. And you know what? It's time we started having these conversations in schools .

I remember when I was in school, we read stuff that made us uncomfortable, but it stuck with us and helped shape us into empathetic humans . We need books like "Pigeon English" to help kids develop critical thinking skills and see the world from different perspectives .

It's not about censorship; it's about giving students a chance to engage with difficult topics and learn from them . And if some councillor gets their undies in a twist, that's on them, not the kids or the teachers . We need more open-mindedness and less fear-mongering in our schools .

I'm not surprised that someone is trying to ban "The Hate U Give" from school reading lists , but what's concerning is that it's happening because the councillor is uncomfortable with the content, rather than focusing on the actual issues in the book. I mean, who hasn't read a profane word or seen some violence in their favorite books? It doesn't necessarily mean they're promoting it.

It's like, if we can't handle a little bit of realness and complexity, how are our kids going to grow up and be empathetic towards others? I think schools should definitely be exploring difficult topics with students, but in a way that's not just about censoring certain books. It's all about sparking conversations and encouraging critical thinking.

I'm also loving Stephen Kelman's perspective on this - it's like, if we can't handle Caravaggio's painting, how are we going to handle real-life social issues? Let's try to be more open-minded and willing to engage with the tough stuff. Our kids need to learn how to navigate complexities and empathize with others, not just avoid them because they're uncomfortable .

I'm so done with this guy James Farquharson . He's trying to ban books from school reading lists just because they feature mature themes or language! It's like he thinks kids are gonna be traumatized by some profane words . Newsflash, councillor dude: it's called growing up and learning to navigate the complexities of life. We need books that challenge our assumptions and make us uncomfortable - it's how we become empathetic and informed humans . And let's be real, if "Pigeon English" is good enough for Stephen Kelman, it should be good enough for our students . By censoring literature, we're not promoting critical thinking or social cohesion - we're just avoiding the hard conversations .

This councillor is really missing the point of why we even have books in schools . He's trying to ban Angie Thomas's "The Hate U Give" because it deals with tough topics like racism and police brutality, but what he's really afraid of is having uncomfortable conversations . Newsflash: life's not all rainbows and unicorns, and if we don't learn about the harsh realities, we'll be completely lost .

I mean, think about it - if a book can make someone feel seen and understood, that's exactly what teachers want to happen . And as Stephen Kelman says, reading books like "Pigeon English" is essential for personal growth and empathy . We need to be talking about these issues, not avoiding them or censoring literature .

It's not about being prudish or sensitive, it's about being brave enough to tackle the tough stuff . Schools should be a place where students feel safe to explore complex ideas and engage in critical thinking . If we don't challenge our assumptions and encourage empathy, how are we supposed to build a better world ?

I'm so frustrated when politicians try to censor books like "The Hate U Give" because they're uncomfortable with the hard truths it tells! Newsflash: literature is meant to challenge our perspectives, make us uncomfortable, and maybe even spark some tough conversations . It's not about profanity or graphic violence, but about showing the harsh realities of racism, police brutality, and social injustice.

I think Stephen Kelman's point about how his book "Pigeon English" has helped students feel seen and understood is spot on . We need to be more open to exploring difficult subjects in literature because that's where empathy and critical thinking come in . Censoring books like this can actually have the opposite effect – it can desensitize us to the struggles of others and make us less empathetic .

As a society, we should be promoting diversity, inclusivity, and tough conversations, not avoiding them because they're uncomfortable . Our schools are the perfect place for this kind of exploration to happen, and I'm all for teachers being given the freedom to choose books that challenge their students' perspectives . We need more leaders who understand the importance of empathy, critical thinking, and honest conversations – not ones who try to silence authors or limit our exposure to difficult ideas

I dont get why some ppl are so bothered by this book . Its not like its preachin or tryin to dictate what ppl should think. Its just a story that explores hard topics in a way thats relatable. I mean, would we really want our kids growin up with no idea whats goin on in the world? Like, "ok no bad words, no violence, just happy rainbows" No thanks! This book is like a wake-up call for young people to be aware of whats happenin and to question things. Its not about offendin people its about keepin it real

u gotta wonder wut's gonna happen 2 our kids if they r not exposed 2 these kinda books from a young age... its not bout bein sensitive or avoiding controversy its bout gettin a grasp on whats goin on in the world . we need 2 start havin conversations about racism, police brutality, and all that jazz but we cant do it if we r just stickin 2 our comfort zones . I think its great dat authors like Stephen Kelman r speakin out against this kinda censorship and pushin 4 students 2 engage w/ these kinds of topics

omg u guyz this is soooo not right! councillor farquharson is literally trying to ban books from schools that deal w/ complex issues like racism & police brutality... it's like he's not even getting the point of literature lol . like, isn't the whole purpose of reading to help us understand different perspectives & empathize with others? idk what's more annoying - the fact that he's trying to censor books or the fact that people are actually listening to him . schools should be teaching kids how to think critically & navigate difficult conversations, not avoiding them because of some discomfort .