A growing number of woke academics are refusing to teach Shakespeare in U.S. schools, arguing that the Bard promotes racism, white supremacy and intolerance, and instead are pushing for the teaching of modern alternatives.
Writing in the January issue of School Library Journal, Amanda MacGregor, a Minnesota-based librarian, bookseller and freelance journalist, asked why teachers were continuing to include Shakespeare in their classrooms. Shakespeare s works are full of problematic, outdated ideas, with plenty of misogyny, racism, homophobia, classism, anti-Semitism and misogynoir, she wrote, with the last word referring to a hatred of black women.
But others contended the latest woke trend is short-sighted, not taking into account the lessons that Shakespeare still can teach for today - with one New York Times best-selling author accusing schools that jettison the writer as flushing great literature down the drain.
The teachers told SLJ that Shakespeare’s classic works promote “misogyny, racism, homophobia, classism, anti-Semitism, and misogynoir” and are thus replacing his spot in the curricula to “make room for modern, diverse, and inclusive voices.”
The crown teachers once put on Shakespeare now lies uneasy upon his head as the English playwright comes under assault from teachers who fault his un-woke attitudes regarding race, sexuality, gender and class.
MY EDMONDS NEWS Posted: February 9, 2021
Elaine Mattson
Don’t you just love it when something you do anyway proves to be pretty good for you? Red wine? Dark chocolate? Reading before bed!
With information gathered from the Mayo Clinic and Sussex University studies.
Reading before bed is definitely one of the best habits you can have. It not only betters your sleep quality but also positively influences the day’s activities.
Reading can help you relax. There’s a reason snuggling up with a good book (and maybe a glass of wine) after a long day sounds so appealing. Research suggests that reading may reduce stress by as much as 68%.