Elmbrook parents, teachers and students press board to keep The Handmaid’s Tale and The Kite Runner in AP Literature

Summary

Dozens of residents, students and teachers urged the Elmbrook School Board to retain The Handmaid’s Tale and The Kite Runner on the AP Literature primary resource list, arguing the books’ AP exam relevance and classroom value; board members said they will decide at a future meeting after committee review.

Elmbrook School District trustees spent the longest portion of their July meeting hearing sharply felt public comment on proposed changes to AP Literature primary resources. Dozens of residents, current and former students and teachers told the board that removing The Handmaid’s Tale or The Kite Runner would harm student learning, reduce access to texts that appear on recent AP exams and amount to censorship.

Parents and alumni including Krista Allenstein and Melissa Turner described college-preparation benefits and urged the board to “let teachers teach” and retain the titles. Multiple students and recent graduates testified the books produced substantive classroom discussion and preparation for higher-education work. Kate Woodson, the district’s AP Literature teacher at Brookfield East, told the board her class posted a 97% pass rate this year with 70%…

Elmbrook parents, teachers and students press board to keep The Handmaid’s Tale and The Kite Runner in AP Literature

Summary

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