James Farquharson claims students were being fed “partisan political views” after the novel, The Hate U Give, was added to the Year 10 reading list at Budmouth Academy in Weymouth, Dorset.
The 53 year-old said the book was making some students feel guilty about being white and left his daughter “embarrassed and uncomfortable” after was told to read it out loud.
He has also accused the school of double standards as it has a zero-tolerance stance on swearing yet the book is littered with four letter expletives, including the F-word repeated 89 times.
The US novel, which has since been removed from the school’s reading list, follows an African-American girl who speaks out after witnessing a white police officer shoot her childhood friend.
Mr Farquharson said he has also questioned the appropriateness of another book that was being read out aloud by children aged 12.
He said the book, called Pigeon English, explores sexual themes including female masturbation and is so “creepy” it raised safeguarding concerns for the children reading it.
The books are part of the Drop Everything and Reach (DEAR) initiative which aims to get people to read for a short period everyday.
Mr Farquharson has now written to the Headteacher at Budmouth Academy seeking an urgent review of the titles on the school’s reading list....<<<Read More>>>...
