From “To Kill a Mockingbird” to “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass,” almost all students within the Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) are exposed to literary themes of racial injustice and social inequality. 

Published in 1885, Mark Twain’s “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” is yet another CUSD approved novel that delves into America’s history with the institution of slavery. 

Though this novel is a keystone in the American education system, it has become increasingly difficult to teach. 

“In recent years, a text that dense requires a lot of abstract thinking. The satire element and content matter, which is talking about American slavery and chattel slavery, is written in a very tongue-in-cheek way,” said SJHHS English teacher Zach Mendelson. 

In an effort to preserve the important themes of this novel, while ensuring today’s students can comprehend these lessons, a group of CUSD teachers rallied behind the 2024 novel “James,” written by Percival Everett. 

Geared towards 11th grade students, “James” is a retelling of Mark Twain’s iconic novel from the perspective of runaway slave Jim – now named James in Everett’s rendition. 

“It reboots, updates, and explores ‘Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ in a way that makes it engaging for fresh audiences, but also says new things that are relevant to race relations today,” said Aliso Niguel High School (ANHS) English teacher Kelsey Torres, who spearheaded the efforts behind this book. 

To introduce new books such as “James” to the district, the proposed material must be approved by both the Instructional Material Review Committee (IMRC) and the CUSD Board. 

In her Instructional Materials Consideration Request Form, Torres explained that this novel would be a worthwhile addition to our district because it features many rhetorical strategies that are central to the English III and AP Language and Composition curriculum. 

In addition, it pairs well with “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass,” one of the most essential 11th grade novels. 

More importantly, Torres explained that “James” is vital. 

“This book doesn’t just teach us what’s wrong with the world, it teaches us what to do about it. It features Black characters who rise above oppression and become triumphant. It features a white character, Huck himself, learning how to be a good ally and use his privilege for good,” said Torres. 

Following an almost unanimous vote of approval in the IMRC, Mendelson, Torres, and fellow ANHS teachers David Weinstein and Mandy Anderson arrived at the March 12th CUSD Board Meeting to answer questions.

After a total of 12 people spoke on behalf of the novel, Trustee Judy Bullockus asked: How will teachers navigate a book that includes the N-word?

“We do currently teach several books that teach the N-word: ‘Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,’ ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ ‘Of Mice and Men,’ just to name a few. Something really important to note about these books is that they are all written by white people. I think ‘James’ is unique because it’s written by somebody who has had that word directed at him,” said Torres. 

Soon after Torres’ response, Trustee Bullockus sparked an uproar in the audience. 

“It just showed him, not as just some dumb n*****, but a very smart, compassionate, real person,” said Trustee Bullockus.

“You won’t see this in the video…but people were gasping and saying things like ‘you can’t say the hard R.’ It didn’t just slide under the radar,” said Mendelson. 

Ironically, just two minutes before this jarring incident, Trustee Gila Jones made a statement objecting to the recent criticism Board Members were receiving. 

“A bunch of people came here tonight…and they have been saying to me all about these terrible conservative Trustees and our Board has been flipped. Did you hear that tonight? Did you hear anything that you had feared? I didn’t…These are thoughtful, intelligent people who care about kids, and they have shown that in their discussions tonight,” said Trustee Jones. 

No doubt, the biggest takeaway from this situation is the undeniable and unprecedented need for contemporary books like “James” in today’s classrooms. 

“I don’t think Trustee Bullockus intended to hurt anyone, but she did. Hurtful words cannot be excused simply because they weren’t intended to hurt, and that’s an important lesson for kids to learn before they go out in the world and, at best, jeopardize their jobs with that kind of language, or at worst, deeply hurt other people,” said Torres. 

Trustee Bullockus later apologized in an email statement, explaining that she never intended to offend anyone with her words. 

Throughout the seven months it took to get “James” approved, Torres continuously brought up a relevant, but largely unspoken, fact regarding today’s youth.

“I’m sure you, like many students in this district, have heard slurs thrown around as casually as the word ‘hello’…Sometimes there are consequences, sometimes there aren’t, and I think if you ask any Black family in this district, they will tell you that racism is alive and well in our schools,” said Torres.

“Kids need to feel safe talking about these things and making some ignorant mistakes, but also feel empowered to change and to then go do something about the problems they see in the world today,” said Torres. 

Despite the indiscretions that took place, the novel received a unanimous vote of approval from the Board. 

“Tell the story with your ears. Listen.” – “James,” by Percival Everett.