BPC Bulletin: Lawrence Hill Speaks Against De Facto Ban of "The Book of Negroes" in London's Catholic Schools

In Ontario, the London District Catholic School Board prohibits teachers from teaching certain novels, such as Lawrence Hill’s The Book of Negroes, to students because the books contain the N-word.

The board recently put an English teacher, Heather Hamilton, on paid leave because she spoke out against the policy. An investigation is pending.
“We take an informed approach that certain books containing triggering language and content should not be required or mandatory reading for assessment in our schools,” said Mark Adkinson, a board spokesman. “We must be mindful of the diverse sensitivities and experiences of our students.”

The board “is not banning or censoring books,” he said.

Lawrence Hill spoke against the board’s policy. If school boards refuse to teach books that contain the N-word, he said, then students won’t be able to read most major black writers.

“It means black writers will be barred from the classroom,” Hill said. “While it might be considered to be a move that aims to protect kids from harm, it actually does some harm because it protects them from things that need to be discussed in a civilized and respectful way in the classroom.”

REPORTAGE

Ian Hanomansing of CBC News interviews Lawrence Hill:

Lawrence Hill fights ban on his historical novel, The Book of Negroes | CBC.ca

In The London Free Press, Heather Rivers reports:

Students join fight to keep books containing N-word in Catholic board classes | London Free Press

In The Globe and Mail, Dave McGinn reports:

Ontario teacher reprimanded after speaking to author Lawrence Hill about being told to not teach The Book of Negroes - The Globe and Mail

CBC/Radio-Canada reports:

Renowned novelist says London board's teaching ban of his book is like 'burying our heads in the sand'

In The London Free Press, Heather Rivers reports:

London school board stance on N-word in books challenged | London Free Press

Teacher faces probe for speaking on board's N-word policy | London Free Press

COMMENTARY

In The Globe and Mail, Lawrence Hill comments:

Opinion: About that word, and about those books - The Globe and Mail

THE ORIGINAL BOOK OF NEGROES

In the final year of the American revolutionary war, the British in New York City recorded the names of approximately 3,000 black people who sought to leave the newly emerging American republic and who were eligible for evacuation from New York. The British completed the list of names in a registry, known as the Book of Negroes, in 1783.

PBS summarizes the details and displays a page from the book:

Africans in America/Part 2/The Book of Negroes