Two classic American novels are set to be removed from a curriculum in the U.K. over concerns about racism and the books’ use of racial slurs. Reading lists won’t include “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck and “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee under the Welsh General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE).
“Of Mice and Men,” published in 1937, tells the story of two displaced migrant workers, George and Lennie. The two dream of owning a piece of land during the Great Depression. The novel contains racial slurs and derogatory language directed at African-American characters.
“To Kill a Mockingbird,” published in 1960, takes place in the racially segregated South during the 1930s. It follows young Scout Finch as her father, lawyer Atticus Finch, defends a Black man falsely accused of raping a white woman. Through Scout’s coming-of-age story, the novel explores themes of racism, injustice and the loss of innocence.
Wales’ largest exam board issued a new English Language and Literature syllabus for students beginning in September 2025. The curriculum excluded both novels.
The children’s commissioner for Wales spoke with the BBC. The commissioner stated that “Of Mice and Men” had been “psychologically and emotionally” harmful for some Black children. “They specifically mentioned this text and the harm that it caused them,” the commissioner said.
The BBC also spoke with a Black former student who studied “To Kill a Mockingbird.” The student said the novel’s racial language consists of “words that should not be said in this day and age.”
“It’s not censorship. This is safeguarding the well-being of children who have told us how awful those discussions have made them feel in those classrooms,” the commissioner said.
However, Natasha Asghar, a politician with the Welsh Conservative Party, disagreed with the decision.
In a statement, she said, “Instead of banning ‘Of Mice and Men,’ we should teach it within its historical context, showing students how overt racism and sexism were commonplace and accepted in the past and why this was harmful and wrong. Censorship doesn’t solve the problem; it prevents young people from confronting and understanding these prejudices, some of which, sadly, continue.”
In 2014, a U.K. exam board removed “Of Mice and Men” after the then-education secretary called for more British works to be studied.
