{"id":489,"date":"2026-05-16T07:04:19","date_gmt":"2026-05-16T07:04:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=489"},"modified":"2026-05-16T07:04:19","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T07:04:19","slug":"removal-of-pulitzer-prize-winning-roots-from-tennessee-schools-causes-backlash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=489","title":{"rendered":"Removal of Pulitzer Prize-winning \u2018Roots\u2019 from Tennessee schools causes backlash"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) \u2014 Knox County Schools in Knoxville, Tennessee, has banned \u201cRoots,\u201d a Pulitzer Prize-winning historical novel by Alex Haley that recounts the multi-generational struggle of his family, starting from the mid-Atlantic slave trade.<\/p>\n

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Under Tennessee\u2019s Age-Appropriate Materials Act, parents can file a report if they believe classroom materials are inappropriate. KCS banned \u201cRoots\u201d because of Chapter 84, which describes the rape of an enslaved woman by a plantation owner.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do remember being a child and watching that miniseries with the world,\u201d said Rev. Rene\u00e9 Kesler, the president of the Beck Cultural Exchange Center. \u201cThere was a lot, and it was overwhelming, but I\u2019ve never forgotten it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Above all else, Kesler preaches compassion and understanding. She said Alex Haley\u2019s Roots may not be appropriate for every age group.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I think we have to pause and say, is taking books off the shelf accomplishing that, or are we doing harm on another front?\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

State law is less understanding. The act, passed in 2022, requires schools to maintain a current list of materials in the school\u2019s library collection, which must be posted on the school\u2019s website, and have a policy for reviewing them for age appropriateness.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe law previously was framed to say, \u2018We are analyzing this text to ensure that it\u2019s appropriate.\u2019 But also, we have that lens of saying, \u2018Does this have inherent value? Does it have artistic value? Does it have historical value?’\u201d said Keith Wilson, the assistant superintendent of academics for KCS.<\/p>\n

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Dr. Rev. John Butler, a Knox County School board member, made an impassioned plea to reverse course on the book ban.<\/p>\n

\u201cCertain books are being attacked. Certain books that cover certain materials are being attacked. Why are the books about us got to be taken out? The way that this has been set up is simply not right. It\u2019s just not right,\u201d Butler said. \u201cThis time, it\u2019s \u2018Roots.\u2019 Next time, it\u2019s going to be a book that you really care about. A book that you really think is important that students have access to. When we start snatching these books off the shelves, that is not a good step for education.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kesler intends to keep the memory of \u201cRoots\u201d alive because she said history does not judge.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy role is to ensure history is not erased. My role is to preserve memory,\u201d said Kesler. \u201cHistory can make you sad. History can make you mad. But history is not to condemn. It\u2019s not really to make you sad, though it might. It\u2019s not really to make you mad, though it will. History is just truth, and truth is what sets us free. Because when we know better, we can do better. Our responsibility is to understand history so that it can help inform us for the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kesler said those interested in reading \u201cRoots\u201d can do so at the Beck Cultural Exchange Center. She urged people to continue reading books like \u201cRoots\u201d and believes more people will read the book in spite of the ban.<\/p>\n

Members of the Knox County Board of Education discussed what steps can be taken to address the concerns of Knox County parents. Knox County Schools\u2019 legal counsel will be reviewing this at the request of several board members.<\/p>\n

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