Mark Twain's classic novel "Huckleberry Finn" is mired in racism and promotes emotional segregation between black and white children, according to Sharon Elizabeth Rush.
Rush, a professor of law at the University of Florida, spoke to a crowd of about 60 Wednesday afternoon in the Union Theatre about what she calls the "emotional segregation" that is prevalent in today's society.
Rush defines emotional segregation as the societal sanctioning of the disrespect of someone based on sex, race or disability.
"We need to teach racial intelligence like we teach mathematics and English in our schools," Rush said.
Though Rush is white, she is the adoptive mother of a 13-year-old biracial girl, which Rush says, has given her a unique perspective into how race is integrated into public school classrooms across the country.
"I believe very strongly in equality and the democratic principle of equality," Rush said.
Rush used Twain's novel as a basis for her findings.
"'Huck Finn' is second only to Shakespeare in the number of schools that include it as required reading...it's revered by white society, but much of the black society feels the book is racist and promotes segregation," Rush said.
According to Rush, the racial epithet n***** is used 213 times in the book.
"I think that if teachers understood the harm 'Huck Finn' causes, they'd stop teaching it," she said.
However, Rush said that teachers get "caught up" in the book's reputation as an American classic without thinking of the harm it can cause to black teens learning alongside whites in the same classroom.
"If you're a white teen, 'Huck Finn' is a fun book to read, but if you're a black teen, it really can present a moral dilemma," she said.
According to Rush, black teens who read the novel are faced with three decisions.
"They could choose to identify with Huck Finn, but that's the wrong answer. Why would you choose to identify with somebody who can't decide if you're a human being or a piece of property?" Rush said.
Alternatively, Rush said black teens may choose to identify with Jim, a freed slave who befriends Huck early in the story.
"That isn't much of an option either," Rush said. "Jim is presented as someone who Huck can disrespect, and I certainly don't want that taught to my daughter," she said.
Rush says that most black children who read the novel end up in the "emotionally segregated" corner, with no positive role model.
"White society thinks 'Huck Finn' proves they're anti-racist, but there is still a long way to go," Rush said.
Rush also said the conclusion of the novel is contrary to the popular anti-racist message that many believe the book emphasizes.
"The relationship between them is really exemplified by a power imbalance...if Huck didn't love Jim as a black man, he didn't truly love him," she said.
Rush, who addressed the crowd as "this nation's future leaders," said the most important task facing today's students is to educate themselves about racial intelligence to minimize the amount of emotional segregation in the future.
"Get smart about race...I don't see that happening in this country right now," Rush said.
abenson@chronicle.utah.edu
