Douglas Ernst, Washington Times, Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Police in the South Carolina town of Mount Pleasant are furious over a school’s summer reading list they view as anti-cop indoctrination.

Fraternal Order of Police Tri-County Lodge #3 President John Blackmon told a local NBC affiliate this week that livid parents contacted him regarding Wando High School’s summer reading list. He says two of four books offered to incoming freshmen for an English I class sow distrust of law enforcement in their fertile minds.

“Freshmen, they’re at the age where their interactions with law enforcement have been very minimal,” told the Charleston station on Monday. “They’re not driving yet, they haven’t been stopped for speeding, they don’t have these type of interactions. This is putting in their minds. It’s almost an indoctrination of distrust of police and we’ve got to put a stop to that.”

At issue are Angie Thomas’ “The Hate U Give” and “All American Boys,” by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely.

The former title features a teenager whose best friend is killed by a police offer; the latter includes a “fist-happy” copy who mistakes a boy for a shoplifter.

Students are required to read one of four books before the start of the school year.

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Wando Principal Dr. Sherry Eppelsheimer released a statement saying {snip} “I understand two of the selections/choices for this summer’s reading list for English 1 College Prep classes are considered controversial by some members of our community.” {snip}

The station noted that a committee will review the material and give a recommendation to the Superintendent.

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