A Mississippi school district is facing backlash after pulling To Kill A Mockingbird from its eighth grade curriculum this week, saying it "makes people uncomfortable."
According to the Sun Herald, Biloxi School District administrators made the decision after people complained about the book being taught.
The book will remain in the school library, but another book will take its place in the curriculum, said school board vice president Kenny Holloway.
“There were complaints about it," said Holloway. "There is some language in the book that makes people uncomfortable, and we can teach the same lesson with other books."
Biloxi School District administrators did not immediately respond to request for comment by BuzzFeed News on Saturday.
The decision faced swift and widespread backlash for one particular reason...
THATS THE POINT OF THE FUCKING BOOK https://t.co/NACw6AS05m
Pretty sure the whole point of the book is to make you uncomfortable so you wouldn't be a racist, judgmental prick. https://t.co/pxhng3zCuD
Many people are saying the fact that the book makes people "uncomfortable" is exactly why it needs to be taught.
That's why you teach it. https://t.co/RZ6Fs7uULY
If a book "makes people uncomfortable," they owe it to themselves as to why it does. There's a lesson to be learne… https://t.co/oZZHKxOAtc
Yes, the highest aspiration of an educator is to make students comfortable. https://t.co/IqevxI12Ic
For many, the 57-year-old book still feels relevant today.
“America, you have a race problem you need to learn how to deal with and talk abo—“ “NO WE DONT LALALALALALA I CANT… https://t.co/rHCfZ9hmTx
It makes them uncomfortable bc it’s just as relevant today as when it was first published https://t.co/zrVoo0dmFK
"If it makes bigots uncomfortable it belongs on the fucking reading list," one person said.
Damn straight it makes racists uncomfortable. If it makes bigots uncomfortable it belongs on the fucking reading li… https://t.co/B2wZua55vZ
Because racism is comfortable to racist. https://t.co/gfxL16cPaQ
"We need a lot more uncomfortable discussions in this country," said another.
We need a lot more uncomfortable discussions in this country. https://t.co/gBIBzG99sS
Republican Sen. Ben Sasse called it a "terrible decision" about "one of our few shared stories."
This is a terrible decision. It's one of our few shared stories -- in a nation with far too few shared stories righ… https://t.co/4WxlyZ5jYZ
Quite a few people found it rather ironic that Mississippi has laws to protect its Confederate statues, but doesn't see pulling this book from classes as "erasing history."
Well it makes me uncomfortable that Mississippi has laws making it illegal to take down confederate statues. Can we… https://t.co/ZgitmDTjBe
Taking down confederate statues does not erase history, removing this book does. https://t.co/NdMKfPiJAw
‘Confederate monuments make people uncomfortable.’ ‘No, no, leave them up—it’s ‘history.’’ https://t.co/o9MpRqTJy0
"We're really trying to erase history and raise ignorant, intolerant children to save the comfort of white people. Wow," one person said.
We’re really trying to erase history and raise ignorant, intolerant children to save the comfort of white people. W… https://t.co/uim0zI4CIy