Scrubbing Huck Finn

An Alabama publisher has edited some of Mark Twain's classics to sanitize them for school administrators and parents who are concerned about the tender sensibilities of students. Here's a more detailed version of the story (http://www.npr.org/2011/01/05/132681463/publisher-edits-twain-classics-to-remove-slurs) .  This is a good idea for school districts and/or parents who fear that their children mights be exposed to reality.  Scrubbing offensive language (primarily the N-word) from Mr. Twain's text will allow schools/parents to keep kids tucked safely in their cocoons for another day.  Yes, these kids will miss the essence of the story about Huck, the illiterate son of an illiterate, abusive bigot, who learns to question conventional wisdom when he is befriended by a runaway slave.  The essence of the book is Huck's discovery that his new friend, Jim, does not comport with with the "truths" about black people that he has grown up accepting.  Perhaps some schools/parents are not looking for a book that would lead to discussions about the dangers of labels, assumptions, and the power of words. Or for books that provide learning opportunities to discuss the historical context of our nation's greatest shame. Perhaps these parents and administrators are correct. Perhaps it is more appropriate that we stick our heads up our collective arses and turn Huck Finn into an adventure story about a white kid and a black guy on a raft on a river.

RCM