AJAs 2017 Finalists
Attachments
| Slug/Label | Nova Scotia schools remove The Hate U Give from curriculums |
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| Date Aired or Published | Sept 19 2023 / Nov 19 2023 |
| Media outlet where first aired or published: | CBC Nova Scotia |
| Name of Program: | CBC Information Morning |
| If co-produced, list partner: | NA |
| Location: | Halifax |
| List awards, grants: | NA |
| Running time (TV/Radio): | 08:09 / 08:44 |
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Short explanation of the story and how it developed: This entry for enterprise journalism meets the criteria of originality, accountability, and continuing coverage in this category. Last fall, Portia Clark received a tip from a concerned educator that a book previously used for classroom discussions had been quietly delisted. The book in question is The Hate U Give (THUG), a novel by American author Angie Thomas. It's the story of a teenage girl who witnesses the fatal police shooting of her childhood best friend, prompting her to confront her identity, sense of community and how to find her voice. It's told in the vernacular of a teenager in the southern U.S. The Nova Scotia Department of Education introduced it for group discussion for Grade 12 classes in 2018, and then dropped it in 2023. Some IB classes also used it for group discussion in Grade 11. The person who contacted us said the book was singularly useful in exploring some aspects of the Black experience...rarely told from a girl's perspective. And that she feared consequences for her job if she pushed for answers herself. She said teachers were being kept in the dark, but were confused about why and how the decision was made. Rumours were circulating that other books were headed for the same fate. We contacted several teachers and English Department heads at Halifax schools to confirm the story. Most would only speak off the record or not at all, telling us they were afraid of consequences at work. The first audio submission here is our interview with officials from the Education Department. You'll hear them confirm the book was dropped, and that it was because of the use of the "N-word" and for swearing. They also say the department had put out new criteria for evaluating reading resources, partly to protect Black children from harm. Following that interview we spoke with a panel of Black students who had discussed the book in class. They told us it's the only book like it they've read, and an essential text, if handled correctly. We sought out a counterpoint, and spoke with an African Nova Scotian Professor of Education (and mother) whose perspective was that no material with the "n word" is acceptable. She said that most NS teachers are white, and most don't have the training to teach this text in a way that protects Black students. And our coverage finally prompted a currently working teacher to go public with us. She told us that the department had stonewalled her emails for answers on why THUG was dropped. She questioned the government’s use of "soft bans" and passionately shared why she thinks this an integral book for exploring Black teenager life, racism and anti-racism, and how to challenge authority. We asked for follow up interviews with the Education Department, but were refused. But there were outstanding questions, such as what prompted the department to target this book, and when did they decide to de-list it? The second audio submission relates to our FOIP for documents to try to answer those questions. They appear to show the decision was made before anyone read or saw any complaints. And that English teachers and literacy facilitators didn't seem to have been informed. Those teachers have questions of their own, including about what to replace this book with so that discussions about social justice and identity and race could continue in Nova Scotia classrooms. Some emails indicate some teachers want the Education Department to put out a list of books that are dropped, and why. The documents raise questions about how the department's making decisions, how it's consulting beforehand, and how it's guiding and training staff in these important discussions. Our audience really jumped onto this conversation, on a topic rarely discussed in Nova Scotia media. We continue to press the Education Department on how it plans to improve consultation and transparency on curriculum, and anti-racism efforts in Nova Scotia schools. |
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Resources of the newsroom (money and time) available to complete the story: There were no extra resources put towards this story other than the usual work of telephone chasing, fact checking and FOIP-ing documents which took place over a couple days in the case of each story. Along with the audio interviews we also published digital written stories based on each radio segment. |
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