Is Cancel Culture...Cancelled?

 When first reading the New York Times article Emma Goldberg wrote, I thought I would immediately have an opinion and be firm in that belief. Though, I quickly realized that was, in fact, not true. She mentions Martina Myers, an English teacher on the Navajo reservation in Arizona, and her struggle with deciding whether to include "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" by Sherman Alexie in her curriculum. Her students loved the book because it was similar to their own lives, but what they did not know is Alexie had been accused of sexual harassment. She decided to keep his allegations to herself to allow her students a role model they could finally relate to. I believe I would make the same decision. Though, I may never know exactly. I think it is more important for students to see themselves in people with success to be encouraged and feel like they can achieve the same, if not go beyond, especially when options for students of color seem to be so limited. If there is no alternative, why take it away?

Another perspective on this topic is the view of "Cancel Culture". Cancel Culture has taken over internet space everywhere, especially on social media where teenagers and young adults reside. In the video "The Problem with Cancel Culture", Ayishat Akanbi mentions people are not encouraged to change, but are criticized for things they said years ago or even recently. This is a very good point, but is also where I think deciding if cancelling someone is toxic becomes a grey area. How do we know people have really changed? How do we know people are genuine when they say they are sorry? How do we know people do not actually deserve to be cancelled? I think these are questions we will almost never know the answer to, but perhaps we just have to give people the benefit of the doubt. The whole innocent until proven guilty concept may be the way to go in these situations. Akanbi also points out, "it is easier to condemn people than ideas." I agree wholeheartedly. However, what is the proper way to punish racial slurs, sexist remarks, homophobic statements or sexual scandals without punishing the people who say or do these things? I don't think it is very possible to separate creation from creator because I think it is outrageous to reward people who do horrible things by watching their videos, reading their books, or listening to their music. If we keep treating them as normal, how do we know, they know their actions were wrong? 

I can't imagine how difficult it must have been for teachers in Emma Goldberg's article to decide what to include in their classes, especially if their students gain perspective on others or themselves from it. Giving a child a window or a mirror through literature is amazing and should be the goal of every teacher. Windows allow children to look out onto other people's points of view and experiences while mirrors give kids the opportunity to look within and see themselves in the story. If I were a teacher, the book "Black Enough: Stories of Being Young & Black in America" by Ibi Zoboi would be the first addition to my classroom arsenal. It is a collection of stories from various author where students can see experiences they may have gone through themselves. It is both a mirror and a window. A second choice I would include would be "Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda" by Becky Albertalli. This book includes multiple characters and centers around the idea of homosexuality and becoming comfortable in who you are. My last choice would be "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky. Again, this book has a variety of characters and I feel like I learn something new from it every time I read it. It covers a variety of topics such as mental illness, childhood trauma, homosexuality, and moving on from high school, all of which students may relate to.