tfw your kid's school makes you sign a permission slip so he can read Fahrenheit 451 pic.twitter.com/t9lmD8vKTu
— Daniel Radosh (@danielradosh) October 24, 2016
Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury’s dystopian novel about censorship and book burning was on the book club’s agenda for Banned Books Week. However, the school required a permission slip from parents before a child could read the book. Some parents had objected to the book because of a few curse words and a depiction of Bible burning. What could be more ironic than censoring a book about censorship? Milo requested a permission slip from his Dad, Daily Show writer Daniel Radosh. His response:
I love this letter! What a wonderful way to introduce students to the theme of Fahrenheit 451 that books are so dangerous that the institutions of society -- schools and parents -- might be willing to team up against children to prevent them from reading one. It's easy enough to read the book and say, 'This is crazy. It could never really happen,' but pretending to present students at the start with what seems like a totally reasonable 'first step' is a really immersive way to teach them how insidious censorship can be I'm sure that when the book club is over and the students realize the true intent of this letter they'll be shocked at how many of them accepted it as an actual permission slip. In addition, Milo's concern that allowing me to add this note will make him stand out as a troublemaker really brings home why most of the characters find it easier to accept the world they live in rather than challenge it. I assured him that his teacher would have his back.
-via The Daily Dot