Ignorance may be bliss, but it's also dangerous. Wallace did not return phone calls, but WW learned that the passage in question comes from Convicted in the Womb, an autobiography by Carl Upchurch. Upchurch dropped out of school to join a South Philadelphia gang, leading a life of drugs and crime. In prison, he became an avid reader and discovered the power of education. After his release in 1986, Upchurch founded the National Council for Urban Peace and Justice, which--among other things--mediated a national summit for gang leaders that led to a truce between the Crips and the Bloods. He has spoken at the United Nations and has won the praise of President Clinton. And he swears. A lot. That, apparently, was what got Wallace in trouble. Miller says Wallace violated a state policy requiring teachers to get approval before using "controversial materials" (R-rated movies, political speakers, racy reading) in their lesson plans. Though Wallace has had no previous run-ins with the administration over curriculum content, Miller will now monitor the 22-year teaching vet for the rest of the year. Miller says Wallace should have requested permission to read the passage from the book--a request he says he would have denied because of its profanity and references to violence. Miller would not disclose what passage Wallace read, but we found nothing in the book that average sophomores haven't heard--and a lot they could learn from. |
