Cancel Culture in the Academic World

Cancel Culture: How Do Educators Combat Cancel Culture in the Classroom Setting? 

What is Cancel Culture? 

    The phrase "cancel culture" is a new term, but recycled from historical practices that involve opposing a once highly favored organization or person. Cancel culture began as a way to massively ditch organizations and refrain from showing support to people who were deemed as toxic or problematic

     In recent years, cancel culture has become increasingly more popular with the rise of social media.The usage of social media has allowed for the increase in conversational awareness about certain issues. Users are fed with certain ideologies about a subject at their fingertips, without ever hearing about the subject before. Thus, it is extremely easy to spread ideas around the internet to reach thousands of users that are impressionable to the subject matter at hand. In the book Literature and the New Culture Wars, Deborah Appleman examines the concept of cancel culture through a post pandemic lens: “All of these factors–economic uncertainty, fear for well-being in the face of a ravaging pandemic, heightened racial sensitivity, and fiercely held political positions have contributed to fomenting of the kinds of culture wars that have led to the concerns” (chp 6). Within the last four years, American politics is extremely divided between the far left and right, which has created an atmosphere of immense tension among the people. The idea of cancel culture has transformed from being beneficial, to seemingly overwhelming.

    While the core root of cancel culture is to filter out the negative people/practices within society, what it has transformed into is a larger issue. Nowadays, when people think of the phrase “cancel culture” they often respond with negative connotations about the harsh effects that come with participating in the trend. There are effects that come with taking to social media every issue someone has with a person, organization, or piece of work. These effects can include the over saturation of canceling people/things without it obtaining any real achievement. On the other hand, there is a way to effectively point out the problematic aspects of a person, organization, or piece of work without diminishing it completely.

Classic Texts in the Classroom

    In the classroom, educators have to be aware of the texts they are presenting to students. There are certain texts that are categorized and highly favored as “classics,”  yet they spark controversy around the subject matter within them. Often, these classics are viewed under a certain perspective that leaves out the voices of other groups of people. In the book Workshopping the Canon for Democracy and Justice, Mary E. Styslinger lists the most popular books taught at the secondary level in most American schools: 

1984 (1949), Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884), Animal Farm (1945), Brave New World (1932), The Crucible (1953), Fahrenheit 451 (1953), Frankenstein (1818), Great Expectations (1860), The Great Gatsby (1925), Heart of Darkness (1899), Jane Eyre (1847), Lord of the Flies (1954), Of Mice and Men (1937), Othello (1622), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Romeo and Juliet (1597), The Scarlet Letter (1850), A Separate Peace (1959), Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937), Things Fall Apart (1958), To Kill a Mockingbird (1960), and Night (1960).

The issue with most of these novels on the list is the fact that they are not inclusive to represent a wide range of perspectives and identities. Styslinger mentions that “only five texts were written by women and two by authors of color,” which makes it difficult to give an accurate representation of the students within the classroom. Not to mention, most of these texts were written at least “sixty or (many) more years ago” (Styslinger 366). The problem with these texts is that when they are presented to students as their only source of literature, it gives the impression that their stories do not matter. Sure, all of these texts have earned their right to serve as classics in the American classroom; however, they should not be the only source of literature students are receiving. 

    

    Given that most of these classics are written by and include White perspectives, they are not culturally relevant to the society students are living in today: “The literature we choose to include and exclude reveals whose stories matter” (Styslinger 366).When students read literature, it encourages them to learn to empathize with the characters and their stories. However, if students are only being fed one particular kind of narrative each time they read a book, then they are unlikely to empathize. According to Rudine Bishops’ article “Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors” the author discusses the impact books can have on children: “They need the books as windows onto reality, not just on imaginary worlds.” When children can see themselves in a certain book, it is as if they are looking through a mirror (Bishop). On the other hand, when they read a book that is different from their own experiences, it is used as a sliding glass door or window for students to immerse themselves within the story (Bishop). Therefore, it is crucial that students are given the opportunity to read texts that are diverse and offer various perspectives so that each student can gain a new outlook on the world around them. 

Problematic Authors 

    Moreover, the cancellation does not stop at the work itself. Many times, the problem is with the author of a text. Authors such as Flannery O’Connor, J.K Rowling, and Dr. Suess who have a problematic history with racist or transphobic viewpoints have all been subject to cancel culture. While, their viewpoints and harmful actions are not justified in any way, there is a way to distinguish a difference between the author and the work itself. For instance, J.K Rowling’s famous series Harry Potter continues to be loved and appreciated by millions of people. However, the fans of the book/movie series separate the work from the author. In other words, fans have the ability to appreciate the series without glorifying the author. Furthermore, the series is often associated with nostalgia for the fans. Many grew up reading and watching the series, so canceling a piece of their childhood over the actions of one individual is somewhat of a stretch. 

    How can we separate the author from the work itself? In most cases, one could argue that by buying and consuming the work a canceled individual has created, such as J.K Rowling, then they are still profiting from it. While this is true in some cases such as music, there is an easier way to avoid this issue when it comes to literature. For instance, buying the media second hand would not only cost less money, but also  ensure that the person behind the text is not profiting more from the sales. 

    Overall, the cancellation of authors can often be a bit more of a fine line than the work itself. It is easier to ditch a piece of work all together due to the toxic qualities within it. However, it is difficult to cancel the work from a problematic author when their work is not a direct representation of their toxic ideas/actions. 

Finding a Common Ground in the Classroom 

    Instead of canceling famously classic texts within the classroom, there are other ways to resolve the issue at hand. Classic texts are filled with timeless themes that are still relevant to modern society. Leigh Emig writes in the journal article “Combining Young Adult and Classic Literature in a Secondary English Classroom” about the importance of classic texts and what they can do for students: “Students need to see that they would benefit from reading these texts in order to challenge their abilities and make them think about controversial or difficult topics” (4). Classic texts are written in a way that forces students to read between the lines and think deeper about the information in front of them. The language and tone in most of the classics are what challenge students the most due to their level of difficulty.  

    On the other hand, classics should not be the sole source of literature students receive in the classroom. While they are needed to lay foundational themes and concepts that are relevant today, classics do not offer students the opportunity to fully relate to them. For instance, a classic text that is taught in almost every public high school in America is To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. While this text teaches students many important themes such as racial injustice, hope, love, sympathy, and societal standards, it does so through limiting perspectives. The novel highlights racial injustice, without offering the reader perspectives from Black characters who are first handedly experiencing it.

     Instead, a sufficient solution would be to offer students a variety of supplemental texts to pair with the classic. For instance, a few texts that have similar themes relating to the novel To Kill A Mockingbird are: If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, and All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely. In doing so, students have freedom and choice within their learning. As a result, they can become more motivated to read when they have choices in supplemental reading that offer them books with mirrors, windows, or sliding glass doors. Emig points out the importance of using YA novels and classics together in the classroom by stating, “In order to have a well-rounded education and to be exposed to a multitude of agreeing and conflicting ideas and cultures, students have to read literature from both today and long ago” (4). In summary, students will best benefit from reading a variety of books written with a diverse range of genres, authors, time periods, and characters.

Summary 

    Overall, cancel culture in the academic setting can be used as a tool to educate students on the concept of effective constructive criticism. Instead of canceling texts that do not align with the values and culture of modern society, they can be used as a way to offer students the chance to better understand why certain concepts are not acceptable in modern times. Moreover, canceling texts altogether teaches students that it is acceptable to dismiss something solely because it does not align with a certain viewpoint. An effective solution is to offer students opportunities to find exactly what about a text is problematic. Additionally, encouraging students to learn how to read a text with an open mind that considers additional narratives/perspectives that add to the story. This can be done by giving students the historical background or context behind a text as a way to encourage them to think critically outside of the narrative they are reading. Moreover, texts written from other perspectives can also offer students the chance to compare and contrast themes or ideas. In other words, it is important to teach students the importance of critical thinking by encouraging them to find effective ways to navigate problematic texts or authors.

Works Cited 

Appleman, Deborah. Literature and the New Culture Wars. W. W. Norton & Company, Sep 6, 2022. 

Bishop, Rudine. “Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors.” Choosing and Using Books for the Classroom. Vo. 6, no. 3. Summer 1990. 

Emig, Leigh. "Combining young adult and classic literature in a secondary English classroom." Rising Tide 7 (2015): 1-27.

Styslinger Mary E. (2023-06-19T23:58:59.000). Workshopping the Canon for Democracy and Justice.

            National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). Kindle Edition. 

  

 

Educational Blogging

 Educational blogging can be used in a variety of ways whether that is to inform parents, enhance a student's understanding, or to spread knowledge to other educators. For many, a blog gives parents and students the ability to stay updated on certain topics pertaining to the classroom. Creating a classroom blog can ensure that communication given out to all students and parents so that everyone is up to date on any important information.

An image of a school desk with a test on it

Additionally, reading other educator's blogs as a teacher can be helpful when understanding current topics that are important within the field. For instance, a very popular topic of standardized testing is discussed and debated among many educators. After reading some of my peer's blogs pertaining to standardized testing, I have gathered several points as to why it is harmful to students. In Saylor Johnson's blog post Standardized Testing, she points out that one of the most negative takeaways from this practice is the various test taking skills among students. Every student is different when it comes to how they take a test. For some, they can be the brightest and most knowledgeable on a subject, but when it comes time to take an exam they do not perform well. Additionally, there is an issue with expecting one test to determine an entire semester/year worth of material in one day. Haylie Daugherty explains this further in her blog post titled Negatives of Standardized Testing. Many students can wake up on the day of the exam and have a rough start to their morning. This may cause them to be off the entire day and bring down their normal performance. Lastly, as a future English/ESL teacher myself, ensuring that non-native English speakers receive the modifications they need in order to be successful within the classroom is extremely important to me. Audrey Blackburn does an excellent job of bringing in the other side to this issue as a future Spanish educator in the blog Standardized Testing and Non-native English Speakers. Expecting students whose second language is English, take a standardized test is that language is an issue within itself. Outside of the other issues previously mentioned, not allowing the student the full opportunity to show their knowledge is unfair and in ways unethical. Overall, it is helpful to read other future educators posts about certain hot topics within the field of education. 

Personally, I find blogging to be extremely helpful when it comes to sharing ideas to other educators and informing parents/students. I enjoy having information easily assessable, so ensuring that I have any important updates available in one place is important to me. By having a classroom blog, I can allow my students and parents to stay updated on any changes within our classroom or special projects we have been working on. Additionally, the idea of allowing my students to create their own blog is fun to me. This can allow students to enhance their knowledge on certain topics and express their ideas in a different way. 

Home Environment

A Drawing of a Family

A student's home environment is critical to how they will function within the outside world. A child receives most of their knowledge from within their home. They model their parents/guardians and carry that behavior with them into other areas of their lives. Most of the time, a teacher is one of the people in a student's life to evaluate their home environment.  

For every teacher, understanding a child's home environment is critical to grasping their behavior, success, intellectual abilities, and social skills within the classroom. Most of the time, a child with a positive home environment will be a bubbly and bright child that fits within the average norm of their peers. Their parents are typically more involved with what goes on in the classroom and wants to be informed on how they can help while at home. On the other hand, those that tend to steer from the average norm on certain levels, typically have a dysfunctional home environment. Now, this does not mean it is a set one or the other; in other words, just because a child is a bright student and social around their peers, does not mean they have an amazing home life. This is not always the case and it should be notable that every child does not fit within the norm of these statistics. The main way to gain more insight into a child's home environment aside from observation, is by using an informal assessment to gather data. For example, some teachers may use journals as a way to gather data about what may be going on at home. Giving a child the creative freedom to write about whatever it is they are interested in or passionate about, may allow them to open up about themselves. Additionally, reaching out to every child's parent on a regular basis is another great way to determining what their life is like outside of the classroom. Setting up one on one parent meetings will allow for a teacher and parent connection to form so that the student can feel supported in more than one area of life. 

Flipped Classroom

 The concept of a flipped classroom has become increasingly popular over the last few years. Within a flipped classroom, students have the ability to engage in more useful discussions/activities with prior knowledge of a certain topic. For example, students in a flipped classroom would be required to read/watch materials before class meetings and come to class prepared to test their knowledge.

A Descriptive Image Comparing the Traditional Vs. Flipped Classroom

    Throughout my experience within middle and high school, most of it consisted of a traditional classroom setting. Many times, we would read a book in class and only be expected to do occasional homework outside of the class. Most of the coursework and materials required for us to learn, only happened in the classroom. However, as I have progressed through college, I have noticed more professors using the concept of a flipped classroom for their lessons. I have experienced this mostly in my English courses, which required me to read chapters or short stories before class so that we may use class time for an open discussion. This taught me not only discipline within my coursework, but also prepared my brain so that I am thinking about bigger ideas that I may share with the class. This tactic would also mean allowing students to take over in a way so that the teacher is there merely as support. Additionally, this concept may not be fit for everyday use or for certain ages. It is important that both the teacher and students come up with ways to design the classroom to fit their needs. Maybe, it is functional for some classes to use a flipped approach occasionally, giving the students various opportunities to change how the course is designed. Often, a flipped classroom can be a nice refreshment to allow students to feel in control. On the other hand, it may be too much for certain students to do all of the coursework outside of class depending on their ages, routines, and other responsibilities. Regardless of the way a classroom is set up, the only outcome that matters is that both the teacher and students are happy and thriving within their environment. 

Virtual Schooling

A Picture of a Teacher Instructing Students On a Laptop

Virtual schooling has become a popular form of education over the last decade. With virtual schooling, students and teachers are offered many opportunities to expand their discussions outside of the standard classroom. In the state of Tennessee, virtual schooling is offered as a way to adequately ensure each student receives an equal chance of an education. There are several factors that play into virtual schooling and is a reason as to why it is a huge topic within the education community. Additionally, the last few years surrounding a pandemic have opened the doors to a much larger discussion over the consideration of the effectiveness of virtual schooling. 

 

 Virtual schooling provides many families with the opportunity to educate their children in a way that fits within their lifestyle. During my last two years of high school, I decided going to public school was no longer for me. I felt as if having the ability to do my classes at my own pace, would allow me to create a schedule that felt more flexible and less restrictive. As a junior and senior in high school, I was able to do my online classes at any time of the day and choose from several different online programs/formats that best fit me. Additionally, this change prepped me for the transition into the pandemic my senior year of high school and going into college. Since I had already experienced what it was like to do school asynchronously, I was able to transition into the online classes in college in a much smoother way. While doing asynchronous courses, I became aware of some of the advantages and concerns others had of online school. These observations have led me to draw a few opinions about the current popular topic of virtual schooling. 

 Nowadays, students entering school are familiar with the technological world around them. Most of them are already learning through mobile apps/websites on their laptops or tablets. In school, they use technology incorporated into their curriculum in order to ensure they are not only technologically savvy, but learning in a way that stays in touch with the outside world. For many students, virtual schooling works for them. I have noticed some who prefer to be able to have a flexible schedule so they can also have time to focus on extra curricular activities and/or responsibilities. As well as other students who may be struggling in a general classroom and may need the safety and calmness of their own home in order to learn. On the other hand, there are some who need the structure and face to face interaction in order to feel involved in the curriculum. However, whatever the standpoint and opinion is for many students and teachers, there is one aspect that many can agree on: the convince. Virtual schooling offers a convenient alternative to in person school for whatever the case may be.