Abilene Independent School District superintendent Dr. John Kuhn sparked a nationwide conversation on Facebook after a virally shared post criticized educators for assigning a book containing profanity to students. The post, which received thousands of shares and hundreds of comments, focused on a social media comment that called teachers ‘demons’ for including the chapter of the award-winning book ‘Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close’ in a freshman honors English class. The book was chosen because of its complex narrative about a nine-year-old boy who lost his father in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, but critics objected to its use of profanity and crude humor, arguing it was inappropriate for the age group.
Kuhn defended the educators, emphasizing the book’s literary merit and the contextual relevance of its language. He pointed out that the passage featuring explicit terms was written from the perspective of a child and that the teacher had already explained the meaning of the words, highlighting the educational effort to engage high-achieving students. Kuhn criticized the social media comments that attacked the teachers, noting the hypocrisy in the outrage surrounding the book’s language. He pointed out that the same commenters used vulgar language themselves, such as calling the teachers ‘a-s—-s,’ without facing similar accusations.
Additionally, Kuhn criticized state legislation that he believes threatens local school autonomy, such as Senate Bill 2, which establishes education savings accounts and could drain public schools. He also pointed to Senate Bill 13, which requires teachers to catalogue every book in their classrooms, as part of a broader political movement toward centralized state control over education. These policies, he argued, aim to ‘pull the teeth’ of local officials, leaving schools under state oversight.
The book, which is rated for ages 14 and up, will now be reviewed by a district committee to determine its appropriateness for the library. Kuhn stated that while the book is suitable for older students, its assignment to a freshman honors class was a misstep, and the district will take time to assess its place in the curriculum. He also mentioned that the offensive social media post had been removed, and he could not retrieve the commenter’s account details, as it had been deleted or made private.
Kuhn’s post has sparked broader discussions about the balance between intellectual freedom and parental rights in education. As more states pass parental rights bills and education policies, the debate over what should be taught in classrooms continues to intensify. For now, the district will review the book’s suitability while addressing the controversy sparked by the social media backlash and the political implications of state education policies.