This violent 1974 clash over textbooks in west virginia prepped the. Alice moore and the kanawha county textbook controversy joe kincheloe university of tennessee, knoxville kanawha county is located in westcentral west virginia in the kanawha river valley. He focuses on the role and views of school board member alice moore, a leading spokesperson of the fundamentalists. Charleston for animated maps illustrating west virginia county boundary changes, rotating formation west virginia county boundary maps 16171995 may be viewed for free at the website.
During 1974, kanawha county became known for its textbook controversy. Protesters engaged in massive demonstrations, school boycotts, miners strikes, and violence against the schools and the board of education office building. Document resume ed 338 251 ir 053 775 author pikes. Creationist wants book banned from local school district. Disturbances connected with the school book dispute were also reported at appalachian power co. Mobs are ruling and were extremely afraid somebody will be hurt.
In summer and fall 1974, the most violent protest over public school textbooks. In 1974, kanawha county was polarized by disagreement over the selection of textbooks for the 46,000 students attending the countys 124 public schools. Remembering the 1974 kanawha county textbook controversy. It got its name from the walking bridge that went across the elk to the old elk refinery. But many people in charleston and the surrounding communities saw them as an attack on families, on religion, on a way of life. The victim identified as philip cochran, 30, of 5205 midland driver, was undergoing. Malcom x resulting violence the controversy began in april 1974, when the. Join a missiondriven organization, committed to impacting the lives of children.
English also criticized kanawha county school board members for doing a poor job communicating with people. As of the 2010 census, the population was 193,063, making it west virginias most populous county. The book protest also reflects peoples frustrations at unemployment and inflation, especially of the man being the head of a household and losing his job. In summer and fall 1974, the most violent protest over public school textbooks in our nations history erupted in kanawha county, west virginia. On november 8, 1974, the kanawha county school board met to determine the final fate of the books. On the first day of school that fall, about 9,000 of the 45,000 students in kanawha county schools mostly the eastern, rural half did not attend. It consists of the metropolitan area of charleston and the surrounding rural region marked by rustic valleys, hollers, and narrow winding roads. Kanawha county textbook war, a look back stardestroyer. The kanawha county board of education didnt predict much trouble when it. In the future, public schools, involving everyone directly or indirectly. Bridge school was located near falling rock wv on the elk river. Kanawha county is part of the charleston, wv metropolitan statistical area. Kanawha county schools faced a multimilliondollar budget crisis for the fy 2012, but had overcome the issue in time. School buildings were hit by dynamite and molotov cocktails, buses were riddled with bullets, journalists were beaten and surrounding coal mines were shut down by protesting miners.
Kanawha county schools is the largest school system in wv, dedicated to providing a worldclass education. Project muse reading appalachia from left to right. The disagreement stemmed from the selection of textbooks for the 46,000 students attending the county s 124 public. Kanawha county is the most populous county in the state of west virginia. In 1974, kanawha county was the first battleground in the american culture wars. Burger the kanawha county, west virginia, textbook controversy 1974 is examined from the point of view of communication theory in order to determine why communicauion broke down between school officials and the local community. Eric ed338251 book censorship, social dynamics, and.
On october 14, 1974, the kanawha county association of classroom teachers kcact voted to request that the teacher rights division of the national education association nea conduct an exhaustive investigation into all facets of the textbook. Following the kanawha county board of educations adoption of. This paper focuses on the factors which precipitated a violent conflict over the introduction of certain textbooks and supplementary reading materials in kanawha county, west virginia, in 1974. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. Police, escorting a school bus, fired upon in textbook. The recommended list was presented to the kanawha county school board on 12th march 1974, and the books were displayed in the kanawha county library for public examination. These events drew national media attention to kanawha county, suddenly a crossroads of the turn toward a new right in the 1970s. The excitement over a new radio documentary about a 1974 curriculum dispute in kanawha county, west virginia, blended with the excitement over antiobama administration tea party gatherings in the summer of 2009. In 1974, a fierce controversy erupted over some newly adopted school textbooks in kanawha county, west virginia. A history of the kanawha county textbook controversy, april 1974april 1975. Brounland grade school, was located at the intersection of brounland rd and sproul rd. Alice moore and the kanawha county textbook controversy jstor. It was there and then that middleclass christians concerned about family values, workingclass whites stung by cultural.
T he kanawha county board of education didnt predict much trouble when it assembled in may of 1974 to discuss a new slate of textbooks. Maurice writing his pulitzer prize winning editorials. Many were chosen to comply with a recent state mandate that school books. Kenneth underwood, county superintendent of schools, said thursday he is closing down the school system because theres apparently no way that we can have law and order. All schools in kanawha county will be closed and all extracurricular activities canceled through saturday. Some feel the books attack parental authority, english said. Goes to show the fundamentalist christian farright hasnt evolved one bit. But the matter was far from settled on the first day of classes in september, county schools.
Alice moore and the kanawha county textbook controversy. It began in april, when the fivemember kanawha county board of education voted unanimously to adopt 325 recommended texts and supplementary books in language arts. The author considers the 1974 kanawha county textbook censorship controversy as an attempt by fundamentalist parents to banish alien moral influences from the schools and to strengthen community control over learning. Kanawha county textbook wars apm reports american public. The kanawha county textbook controversy was a violent school control struggle in the 20th century united states. Throughout the controversy, the antitextbook side complained that public meetings had been held in the small board of education auditorium. Despite bringing a petition signed by 12,000 kanawha county residents, moores side lost a vote by the school board that summer. Kanawha county is part of the charleston wv metropolitan area, with a 2004 population estimate of 307,763 people. The books also included approaches to pedagogy which included simulation and the development of critical thinking skills.
The 1970s west virginia textbook controversy nursing clio. Students, teachers and administrators in kanawha county were most deeply affected by the textbook controversy with general agreement that the effects of the protest will be felt for years to come. Conservatives and the 1974 kanawha county textbook controversy. The disagreement stemmed from the selection of textbooks for the 46,000 students attending the countys 124 public. In kanawha county the textbook controversy was a facilitator for confrontation of the larger issues of who controls public institutions and the responsiveness of public organizations to the needs and wishes of the communities they serve. In the spring of 1974, the board of education for kanawha county, west virginia, took up a motion to purchase new language arts textbooksover three hundred separate titles in all. State guidelines instructed school boards to look for books that were.
The textbook controversy erupted into a violent protest between pro. Students at west virginias nitro high school remember the impact book censorship had on their community. But within months the west virginia county was the scene of violent demonstrations, shootings, and even a plot to bomb school buses. This violent 1974 clash over textbooks in west virginia. After the april 11 meeting, school board member alice moore began speaking out publicly against the. Contact tera merritt at 3043434646 x1262 to request a title. Thus began the kanawha county textbook controversy. Check out a tote bag with ten copies of the book and discussion questions. The kanawha county textbook controversy there are 11 sections in this exhibit. In 1974, kanawha county was polarized by disagreement over the selection of textbooks for the 46,000 students attending the county s 124 public schools. The kanawha county textbook controversy chicago journals. In west virginia, a battle was raging over new textbooks the kanawha county school board had just adopted. The books were meant to provide multicultural perspectives. Kanawha county pronounced kagnaw is a county located in the u.
Controversy erupted over newlyadopted school textbooks. Kanawha county schools page 2 bridge elementary school. In 1974, america experienced one of the largest textbook protests in kanawha county, w. Protester during the kanawha county textbook controversy. We educate, support and prepare every student to achieve academic excellence. Conservatives wanted to purge material they considered unsuitable from school textbooks, leading to john d. By the beginning of the school year in september, the opposition was sufficiently large, vocal, and active to organize a boycott of the schools and to initiate enough.
A history of the kanawha county textbook controversy. Kanawha county, west virginia is the scene of a continuing protest over the content of textbooks used in the public schools. Superintendent duerring stated that school officials two major goals, if the shortfall was to occur, is to maintain the current curriculum as much as possible, and not. School textbook protest in west virginia in 1974 at. We are committed to accelerating student achievement and creating a positive school culture. School buildings were hit by dynamite and molotov cocktails, buses were riddled with bullets, journalists were beaten and surrounding coal. At an extraordinary school board meeting in kanawha county, west virginia, the topic of creation versus evolution was brought.
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