Why I am teaching “The Hate U Give” next year

When I made the choice to replace “To Kill a Mockingbird” in my classroom, it was not an easy decision. I love TKAM and the things students can learn from it as they are still relevant themes even in 2020. But I saw students struggling. Even my best students got lost in the sub-plots and dense language. While I adore this book, it has come from many readings as an adult and seeing intricacies that are just impossible to see on a first reading.

But I work at a public charter school with limited funds. To get a classroom set of a new book was a big deal. So, I took to DonorsChoose and made a plea to families at our school. And boy did they turn out! Not only did I get a classroom set of “The Hate U Give” but I also got other books that I plan on using for Lit Circles to talk about racism and hate in our society. But I digress.

The reason I chose “The Hate U Give” as the book to replace TKAM is not only because of it’s modern take and aim at young adults but also because many of the themes echo TKAM and update them to address the modern face of racism.

A couple of weeks after I finished reading “The Hate U Give,” George Floyd was murdered by the police. Then riots broke out just down the street. As I watched my cities burn, I thought about Starr and when she was running through the riots in Garden Heights. It was like I was watching the book come to life.

I felt like this book gave me a way to understand what was going on better. Not that I will ever understand. I will never be as afraid as Black people are on a daily basis and I will never feel the wrath of systemic hate in this country.

When I first read the book, I was a bit hesitant about teaching it next year because of the swearing and sexual content, but I don’t hesitate now. My students experienced this book from the safety of their homes and now they need to see it from the other side.

But this book gave me a path to empathize with and support. THAT is why I will be teaching this book next year. THAT is why my students truly need to hear the messages of this book and learn about the realities of what is happening around them.

I want my students to change the world. That is why we will be reading “The Hate U Give” next year.