Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN — A” culturally inappropriate lesson plan” taught by an English teacher at Cardinal Mooney High School is under fire from parents and students.

Administrators at the high school were made aware of the lesson plan on Wednesday, which, according to a Thursday statement from the school, centered around the history of language used in Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.”

The famous Twain novel has been frequently included on the American Library Association’s list of banned or challenged books due to its use of racial language.

The school’s statement said the lesson was removed by administrators, who joined the teacher in apologizing to the class. The statement also said that parents would be contacted directly to address concerns regarding the controversial lesson plan, which included use of racial slurs such as the “n” word.

According to Vince Taddei, communications director for CMHS, while there was curriculum based around the book, the lesson taught by the teacher was a “side lesson” and not part of the National Catholic Curriculum.

“All responses to the teacher’s actions have been in accordance with the faculty and staff federation agreement. Cardinal Mooney High School is committed to providing a welcoming, family environment, for students of all cultural backgrounds to learn and grow spiritually, physically, and intellectually,” Taddei said.

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