The Ban of The Exceptional Novel: "The Hate U Give"

The Controversy Surrounding "The Hate U Give"

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas has become a rising issue among many school boards, particularly due to its portrayal of the Black Lives Matter movement. Many people are starting to have a realization of this problem and have started standing up for their rights, not only for themselves but for others. In fact, The Hate U Give has a positive effect on society and can remind people about the problems that are happening in our world, and the reality of the Black Lives Matter Movement. The novel serves as a catalyst for important conversations about race, justice, and equality.

The Ban of The Exceptional Novel: "The Hate U Give"

There has been a wide variety of opinions towards The Hate U Give. Most of the complaints towards the book were from parents (Gomez). Many parents claim the book is pervasively vulgar, uses profanity, depicts drug use, and contains offensive language (Pekoll). The school board quickly took action towards the feedback and decided to ban The Hate U Give in the Texas school district (Pekoll). The district superintendent, Lance Hindt, only banned the book because of "pervasive vulgarity and racially-insensitive language" (“intellectual freedom. blog, 18 Dec. 2017”). Many people were not delighted with the decision and decided to take action.

Many students began to rise up against the action, deciding it was time to make a stand. A student named Ny’Shira started a petition to reinstate The Hate U Give in the school district's libraries (Gomez). In fact, the petition was a huge success. Ny’Shira received over 4,000 signatures (Gomez). Therefore, the superintendent had no other choice but to come to terms (Diaz). The students started the petition because they believed the superintendent had no specific reason for banning the book (Gomez). A young woman named Abby Berner claimed that the superintendent only banned the book because of the parents' point of view (Pekoll). Eventually, the superintendent came to terms by bringing the book back to the school boards, but students would have to get permission from their parents to check out the book (Pekoll). The problem was eventually solved, but still, there are many people who disagree with bringing The Hate U Give back into the schools' libraries (Pekoll). Certainly, the feedback was not done yet.

The Positive Impact of "The Hate U Give"

The Hate U Give has been leaning towards the Black Lives Matter perspective. “The book The Hate U Give was an insult to the black lives matter movement” (“intellectual freedom, blog, 18 Dec. 2017”). However, the book can have a positive effect in influencing young teens about issues they may not be aware of. It is crucial to note that the book does more than just highlight racial inequality; it also sets examples and encourages people to become more aware (Pekoll). "Resources say, it will have a number of sides of controversial issues so that students can have an opportunity to develop" (“intellectual freedom, blog, 18 Dec. 2017”). There is more research to support this evidence. Profanity in The Hate U Give is not the main issue to worry about. The more important part is the message that the book is trying to convey. In The Hate U Give, it shows the main character Starr witnessing her best friend get shot by a police officer (Diaz). Without a doubt, this shows the reality of the inequality people show to African American lives. The book challenges readers to think critically about the systemic issues that plague society and fosters empathy and understanding.

Conclusion: A Call for Awareness

The Black Lives Matter movement has become more of an awareness campaign from many areas. Different generations may not have the same awareness of the movement. Without influence, for example, The Hate U Give, people won’t have a realization about the real-life situation. In any case, the book sets an influence towards other readers and shows how they have the right to stand up for themselves. It has an impact on many young readers' lives that need to be shown at a young age so that future generations have hopes for a more just society. The Hate U Give encourages a dialogue that is essential for progress and understanding in our increasingly diverse world.

References

1. Gomez, A. (Year). Title of Article. Source.
2. Pekoll, K. (Year). Title of Article. Source.
3. “Intellectual freedom. blog, 18 Dec. 2017.”
4. Diaz, J. (Year). Title of Article. Source.