Why Was 'A Child Called "It"' Banned In Some Schools?

2025-06-14 17:21:34 222

3 answers

Weston

2025-06-19 06:50:22

As someone who's read 'A Child Called "It"' multiple times, I understand why some schools banned it. The book's graphic depiction of child abuse is extremely intense, showing physical torture, psychological manipulation, and severe neglect in brutal detail. Some educators worry younger readers might find the scenes too disturbing, like when the mother forces the boy to eat feces or burns his arm on a stove. While the story ultimately celebrates survival, the relentless cruelty could potentially traumatize sensitive students. Schools that banned it often cite concerns about triggering abuse victims or normalizing violence. But personally, I think hiding such stories does more harm than good - awareness prevents abuse.

Samuel

2025-06-20 18:58:12

Having followed numerous book debates, 'A Child Called "It"' gets banned primarily for its explicit content, but the reasons run deeper. The autobiographical account of Dave Pelzer's abuse presents ethical dilemmas for educators. On one hand, it exposes horrific realities of child abuse that society often ignores. The scenes where Dave starves while his family eats, or gets stabbed by his mother, are necessary to understand abuse dynamics. But schools argue these passages could retraumatize students who've experienced similar situations.

Another concern is the book's perceived lack of redemption. Unlike other banned books that get challenged for political reasons, this one faces opposition because some believe its unrelenting darkness offers no constructive lesson. Critics say it doesn't sufficiently address recovery or healing, focusing overwhelmingly on suffering. Supporters counter that the raw honesty helps readers recognize abuse symptoms in real life.

What fascinates me is how the bans vary by region. Conservative districts often cite 'inappropriate material,' while liberal areas sometimes ban it for potentially retraumatizing marginalized students. The debate showcases how censorship isn't always black and white - even well-intentioned protections can silence important voices.

Anna

2025-06-16 02:01:11

From a literary perspective, the banning of 'A Child Called "It"' reflects society's discomfort with uncomfortable truths. The book doesn't just describe abuse - it forces readers to visualize a mother systematically dehumanizing her child, referring to him as 'It.' That psychological aspect might be why some schools pull it from shelves. They aren't just protecting kids from gore; they're shielding them from contemplating how easily humanity can be stripped away.

The educational counterargument is powerful though. This memoir gives students vocabulary to describe abuse patterns they might otherwise normalize. When Dave's mother makes him vomit so she can force-feed him the vomit, or when she invents 'games' to torture him, these aren't just shock value - they're textbook examples of abusive tactics.

Interestingly, the bans rarely hold because teachers keep fighting for it. Many argue that sanitizing literature does students a disservice, especially when real children endure similar horrors daily. The book's lasting presence in many curricula proves its value outweighs the discomfort.

모든 답변 보기

Related Books

On My Professor's Bed

“Applologize to daddy….” Dante muttered softly into her ear and Elena quivered her pussy waiting to be filled by his cock. “I am sorry for being a bad girl Daddy... Please take me.” she cried sexually frustrated. After bumping into a stranger unapologetically and flaring up instead of apologizing, Elena meets with the consequences of her action a week after the resumption. Their physiology teacher has just been changed and Elema being the class representative was assigned to submit some paperwork to the new professor, not only did she barge in to meet him wanking off, he turned out to be the man she had unapologetically humiliated the other day at the mall he sent her out of his office promising to make her pay in all ways possible. He makes her pay for her action by offering her a C instead of the usual A and the only way to change his mind is to sleep with him, after one sexual action, both professor and student have neglected the rules by drenching themselves in the taboo act unable to resist the sexual desire that existed between them. With so many obstacles hoping to rip them apart what becomes of them when Elena finds out that there is more to Dante than being just a professor.

9.5

147 Chapters

Divorced By Mistake: My Ex-wife Becomes a CEO

My husband Bill and his beautiful assistant Doris are laughing and eating like they're on a first date. But the joke is on me... I'm here, Bill's wife, watching them from across the room, tending to my flat belly where a little life is now living. Of course, Bill doesn’t know about the baby yet. The news is still fresh in my mind, barely a few hours old. It is supposed to be a family dinner gathering, but I'm never the welcome one but an outsider. Watching Bill take the steak cut and handed over by Doris, his young age best friend who knows him the best, I guess I'm spoiling their fun by telling them now that I'm having a baby. Three years of marriage, and his frequent absences from the family left me feeling overwhelmed and alone. I've even forgotten the reason we got married. Maybe it was a mistake to begin with. Finally, I made a decision. Divorce. But a man came along and shifted things dramatically. And it didn't occur to me that this man was still deeply connected to bill's family. He was Bill's uncle.

9.9

625 Chapters

Return to Power

Upon living for 5000 years, he had witnessed the great battle between Alexander and Moros, Asclepius sampling all herbs, and Cassander harnessing nature to prevent floods. He had witnessed the rise and fall of numerous grand empires. Through the ages past, he persisted—just like a traveler, outside looking in.Once again returned to the present, he remained the discriminated son-in-law.The mother-in-law and sister-in-law despised him, while the stunning wife only gave him the cold shoulder. With his return, his destiny will never be the same as before.Possessing 5000 years of heritage, he was the man with unparalleled knowledge, perfect mastery of all arts, and unsurpassable by another human by any standards.

9.2

2490 Chapters

Fire and Ice (The alliance Book 1)

** This is book 1 of The alliance series, each book can be read as a stand alone but the stories do follow on. ** ** Book 2 Freeing Freya now available ** The desire to mate is overwhelming and he can no longer ignore his wolfs need but how can anyone find it in them to love the Alpha's dark secret. He's been careful his whole life to keep it hidden, and there is no way that this timid girl before him will be able to handle it but she has a secret of her own, one that will shake him to his core, if only he can hold onto her long enough to find out.

8.8

106 Chapters

The Lycan Princess and the Temptation of Sin

Skyla Silara Rossi is the 18-year-old daughter of the Lycan King himself. She attends Midnight Academy, a place that is a safe haven for the supernatural, but for Skyla, it’s not enough. She still doesn’t fit in. Unable to control the power and rage of her beast, she isolates herself from the world. With each passing year, her Lycan is getting stronger. Becoming harder for the young princess to mingle with those who have now come to fear her. This year, there’s something different that awaits her return to the Academy, in the form of two sizzling Alpha males. Aleric and Royce Arden are the twin sons of the Alpha of The Shadow Wolves Pack. With blond hair and icy grey eyes, the twins are walking gods, ones that any girl would desire. Even Skyla Rossi. Coming from a pack that holds its own secrets, they both have come to the academy as new teachers. Each with his own hidden intentions. Yet when their lives intertwine with the Lycan Princess, everything is thrown upside down. A relationship between a student and a teacher must be kept a secret, especially when it involves the King’s daughter. Skyla spells trouble and danger, but can the wild Rossi be tamed, or will her emotions and power, mixed with betrayal, destroy her forever? In a dance of lust, lies, and forbidden desires, will Skyla find her knight in shining armour, or will the Arden Princes be her ultimate downfall? A Feisty Lycan Princess, a Charming Science Professor and a Sexy Broody Trainer; what could go wrong? Oh yes… everything. Book 3 of the Rossi Legacies Book 1 & 2 are under the title Alpha Leo and the Heart of Fire. Follow me on IG author.muse

169 Chapters

Spoiled and Pampered by my Cold CEO Husband

Avery couldn’t accept the sudden changes in him. “Why are you being nice and sweet all of a sudden?” Anderson inched closer and she could feel his breath on her face. “Because you are my wife. Only my wife deserves my sweetness.” At twenty four, Anderson Crown was the acting CEO of his father’s trillion dollar multinational company. He was hot and a die for yet, he was so cold. When it was time for him to assume the position of CEO wholly, he wouldn’t accept it without Avery Smith by his side as a wife. Therefore, an arranged marriage was the best option, but why? Avery Smith was the shy intern in the accounts department. When she reluctantly succumbed to her parents' demand to marry Anderson to save their business, she grew hatred towards him because her heart was already taken. She vowed to her boyfriend that she would frustrate Anderson’s life to make him divorce her but was surprised when she realized after the marriage, that Anderson wasn’t who she thought he was. So what happens when she begins to fall head over heels in love with Anderson, and her ex boyfriend appears to claim her as promised? Will she keep to her vow or will she stay true to what her heart feels? This book is a read alone, though a sequel to *The CEO silenced me with a kiss*

9.9

142 Chapters

Related Questions

Why Was Dave Called 'It' In 'A Child Called "It"'?

3 answers2025-06-14 08:10:06

The nickname 'It' in 'A Child Called "It"' is one of the most brutal aspects of Dave Pelzer's memoir. His mother didn't just dehumanize him—she stripped him of identity entirely. Calling him 'It' was her way of treating him like an object, not a child. She denied him meals, forced him into grueling chores, and physically abused him while favoring his siblings. The name reflects how she saw him: worthless, disposable, and undeserving of even basic recognition. What makes it worse is how systematic the abuse was. The other kids in school picked up on it too, isolating him further. This wasn’t just cruelty; it was psychological erasure.

Does 'A Child Called "It"' Have A Sequel?

3 answers2025-06-14 14:21:33

I remember reading 'A Child Called "It"' years ago and being completely gutted by Dave Pelzer's story. That book doesn't have a direct sequel, but it's actually the first part of his memoir trilogy. The next book is called 'The Lost Boy', which follows Dave's life after being removed from his abusive home and thrown into the foster care system. The third book 'A Man Named Dave' wraps up his journey into adulthood. While not sequels in the traditional sense, these books continue his harrowing true story with the same raw honesty that made the first book so powerful. The trilogy gives a complete picture of how childhood trauma shapes a person's entire life trajectory.

How Does 'A Child Called "It"' End?

3 answers2025-06-14 23:16:53

The ending of 'A Child Called "It"' is both heartbreaking and hopeful. After enduring years of horrific abuse from his mother, Dave Pelzer is finally rescued by school authorities who intervene when his injuries become too severe to ignore. His mother's torture included starvation, forced ingestion of chemicals, and brutal physical punishments. The book ends with Dave being removed from his abusive home and placed into foster care, marking the beginning of his long journey toward healing. While the conclusion doesn't detail his later life, it implies a turning point where Dave escapes his nightmare. The final pages leave readers with a mix of relief for his rescue and anger at the system that allowed the abuse to continue for so long.

How Did 'A Child Called "It"' Impact Child Abuse Awareness?

3 answers2025-06-14 09:17:01

As someone who read 'A Child Called "It"' during a dark period in my own childhood, this book hit me like a ton of bricks. Dave Pelzer's raw account of his abuse was the first time I saw my own experiences mirrored in literature. The sheer brutality of his mother's actions – burning him on a stove, forcing him to drink ammonia, starving him systematically – shattered the illusion that abuse is always hidden behind closed doors. What makes this memoir so powerful is its unflinching honesty; Pelzer doesn't sugarcoat the psychological warfare alongside physical torture. After its publication, school counselors reported a surge in disclosures from students. The book became required reading in many social work programs because it illustrates how abuse often escalates in plain sight when systems fail. Its cultural impact lies in making extreme abuse tangible to readers who might otherwise dismiss such cases as exaggeration.

How Did 'A Child Called It' End For Dave?

3 answers2025-06-14 09:54:43

The ending of 'A Child Called It' is both heartbreaking and hopeful. Dave Pelzer finally escapes his mother's brutal abuse when his teachers and school authorities intervene. After years of suffering unimaginable torture—starvation, beatings, and psychological torment—he is removed from his home and placed in foster care. The book doesn’t delve deeply into his life afterward, but it’s clear this marks the beginning of his recovery. What sticks with me is the raw resilience Dave shows. Despite everything, he survives, and that survival becomes his first step toward reclaiming his humanity. The last pages leave you with a mix of relief and lingering anger at the system that took so long to act.

Where Can I Buy 'A Child Called It' Book?

3 answers2025-06-14 22:11:16

I grabbed my copy of 'A Child Called It' from a local indie bookstore last month—supporting small shops feels great, and they often have unique editions. If you prefer online, Amazon has both new and used versions at solid prices, plus fast shipping. Check eBay for rare prints if you collect books; I snagged a signed copy there once. Libraries sometimes sell donated copies too, so ask around. For e-readers, Kindle and Apple Books have instant downloads. The book’s heavy but worth owning physically; the spine on mine’s already worn from rereading.

Who Abused Dave In 'A Child Called It'?

3 answers2025-06-14 08:17:36

In 'A Child Called It', Dave Pelzer's mother, Catherine Roerva, is the primary abuser. The abuse was relentless and horrifying—starvation, forced ingestion of ammonia, burns, and psychological torture. She treated Dave as less than human, isolating him from his siblings and making him sleep on a cot in the basement. The book details how she systematically broke him down, inventing cruel 'games' like making him vomit his school lunch or stand for hours in a freezing bathroom. What's chilling is how ordinary their family seemed from the outside while this nightmare unfolded inside. The father, Stephen, was complicit through his passive acceptance, but the mother was the architect of the abuse.

Is 'A Child Called "It"' Based On A True Story?

3 answers2025-06-14 05:51:12

As someone who's read countless memoirs, 'A Child Called "It"' hits differently because it absolutely is based on real events. Dave Pelzer's account of his horrific childhood abuse isn't just some dramatic novel—it's his actual life story, verified by court documents and social service records. The visceral details about starvation, torture, and psychological torment come straight from his memory. What makes it stand out from other survivor stories is how Pelzer focuses on the mechanics of survival rather than just the trauma. He describes specific tactics like stealing food or faking injuries to avoid beatings, which makes the narrative feel uncomfortably authentic. Critics sometimes question if the abuse could've been that extreme, but Pelzer's documentation and his subsequent advocacy work for child welfare lend serious credibility.

Why Was 'A Child Called "It"' Banned In Some Schools?

3 answers

Related Books

Related Questions

Why Was Dave Called 'It' In 'A Child Called "It"'?

Does 'A Child Called "It"' Have A Sequel?

How Does 'A Child Called "It"' End?

How Did 'A Child Called "It"' Impact Child Abuse Awareness?

How Did 'A Child Called It' End For Dave?

Where Can I Buy 'A Child Called It' Book?

Who Abused Dave In 'A Child Called It'?

Is 'A Child Called "It"' Based On A True Story?

Popular Question

How Does The Invisible Men Book Differ From The Manga Version?

Why Is Outlining A Book Crucial For TV Series Novelizations?

Are There Any Spin-Off Series Related To Heir To Fire?

What Are The Best Chenford Fanfictions That Focus On Their Slow-Burn Romance And Mutual Pining?

Does The Audiobook For Pride And Prejudice Have A Full Cast?

Is 'Emerald Eyes' Being Adapted Into A Movie Or TV Show?

Where Can I Read 'Fury Immortal Doctor' For Free?

Is The Nicola Coughlan Audiobook Available On Audible?

How Old Is Lilith Borderlands

How Does 'Acqua Alta' End?

Popular Searches More