Grade 8 curriculums in Nova Scotia schools no longer include The Hate U Give due to profanity – Breaking:

The Nova Scotia Department of Education says it has abandoned the American young adult novel, The hate you givefrom its curriculum after a handful of complaints because it contains the N-word and profanities.

The award-winning book, which follows a Black high school student struggling with her identity and trauma after witnessing her friend being shot and killed by a police officer, has been available as a resource in eighth-grade classrooms since 2018.

The hate you give has been widely banned in schools across the United States due to its depictions of racism and anti-police views.

Paul Ash, executive director of the Department of Education’s African Canadian services section, said there were two complaints related to the book: one from a black parent and another from a regional education center about the use of the N-word and other offensive language. .

“Some of our regional centers identified the resource as problematic,” Ash told CBC Radio. Information tomorrow Halifax.

“We reviewed the resource based on the concerns they expressed and agreed upon, and decided to remove it from the authorized learning resources for that particular grade level.”

Ash called this situation an “exceptional circumstance.”

Jayreece Whiley, who is in her first year at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, said she understands the use of the N-word can be sensitive, but it is not unexpected to hear it at school.

He said they told him on his first day of ninth grade.

“I think with knowledge comes power and we need to change the system in which this can happen. And the first thing is to teach,” Whiley said. Information morning.

“I think this book is a great tool to teach about police brutality and the different things that black people go through.”

Whiley said he understands the topic can be uncomfortable, but it’s a familiar feeling for Black people when they see police.

“We have to grow into our discomfort and we still have to discuss it. Even if it’s uncomfortable, we still have to discuss it,” he said.

Elo Agbada, who is in Grade 11 at Charles P. Allen Middle School in Bedford, said he read the book in class and it led to some deep discussions, even though some classmates had never heard of police brutality.

He said he was not surprised by the use of the N-word in the book, given its plot, and that the teacher handled the discussions carefully.

“He made sure that we all individually understood the effect the N-word had and why we weren’t supposed to say it,” Agbada said. Information morning.

Not a ban, department says

Jennifer Burke, director of curriculum development at the Department of Education, said The hate you give It is not prohibited in schools. The book was simply removed from the department’s list of recommended reading resources.

He said the book would still be available in some school libraries where students could read it independently.

Burke said the department has been working closely with the African Canadian Services branch to select a number of resources that would provide education about African Nova Scotian cultures, histories and contributions.

“Those are components that are incorporated on a regular basis and it’s very intentional,” Burke said. Information morning.

“And we work with the teachers and of course we work with the community to make sure that it’s authentic and meaningful and that it really addresses the learning needs of the students.”

Damini Awoyiga, who is also in Grade 11 at Charles P. Allen Middle School, said the book should be taught in classrooms because it provides much-needed context on how Black people are affected by racial discrimination and police violence in your day to day. lives of the day.

He said he had read the book twice and both times found himself comparing the story to real cases of police brutality, including the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.

“It had a big impact on me and made me think that if a book that has such an impact on me is taken away from other students who could maybe learn from that experience, then that would be a really negative thing to happen,” Awoyiga said. Information morning.

He said he hopes students will take it upon themselves to read the book.

“I really hope that people who read it take the time to understand it from a different perspective and use it to help them move forward in their lives and become more aware of people and more intuitive about their feelings and [their] reactions to things,” he said.

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians, from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community, check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.