Parents, students, educators debate ‘The Color Purple’

BOLIVIA, NC (WWAY) — Brunswick County parents, students, and educators are arguing over a chapter in the Pulitzer Prize winning book “The Color Purple” that describes the rape of a young girl, and if it’s appropriate for high school students.

“I just don’t see why any parent or educator would want to put this material in front of innocent minds,” said Hannah Giordano, a junior at West Brunswick High School.

Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel describes the life of a young, uneducated black woman in 1930’s America, but some are worried that message no longer resonates.

“If you are given the opportunity to maturely discuss controversial topics such as rape that are described profanely then you can learn what happens when you are uneducated then you can learn and become educated so that these things don’t happen to you,” said Hannah Caison, a junior at West Brunswick High School.

The debate about the books appropriateness began at West Brunswick High School where junior AP students are now asking school board members not to turn the page on the discussion.

“Why would they rather us learn from MTV than a book that they said in there thousands of times that has merit,” said Lauren Demko, a junior at West Brunswick High School.

Both sides are now urging board members to consider one final thing before they close the book on “The Color Purple”.

“The only way to prevent history from repeating itself of what has happened,” said Caison.

The Brunswick County School Board has not made a decision on whether to ban or censor “The Color Purple”, but they have said they will take all of the concerns into consideration before making their final call.