Classic novel branded 'psychologically damaging' removed from GCSE course in Wales
WATCH: ‘Woke madness!’ New Jaguar advert sparks furious row
GB News
John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men will be removed from GCSE courses in Wales starting next September, following concerns about racial slurs and their impact on black students.
The classic American novel, set in the 1930s, has long been a staple of English literature qualifications but has faced growing criticism over its racist language and content.
The WJEC exam board has confirmed the text will no longer be among the options offered to Welsh schools, as part of a broader overhaul of qualifications.
The move comes after black pupils reported experiencing psychological and emotional harm from classroom discussions of the book.
John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men will be removed from GCSE courses in Wales starting next September, following concerns about racial slurs and their impact on black students
Getty
The novel, which follows two ranch workers in California during the Great Depression, is currently one of five options schools can choose from in the WJEC's English literature GCSE.
Wales' Children's Commissioner Rocio Cifuentes has welcomed the decision, highlighting the distress caused to black pupils in Welsh classrooms.
"Many black children had specifically mentioned this text and the harm that it caused them," said Cifuentes, referring to her research on racism in secondary schools.
She emphasised that while discussions about race and racism are important, there are "alternative texts available, which could still offer the same opportunities but in a less directly harmful way".
Cifuentes strongly rejected suggestions of censorship, stating: "This is safeguarding the wellbeing of children who have told us how awful those discussions have made them feel in those classrooms".
She noted that black pupils were often isolated during these lessons, being "very often the only black child in that classroom when discussions all around them are focusing on very derogatory, negative depictions of black people".
Student experiences have highlighted the personal impact of studying the text in Welsh classrooms.
Marley, 16, recalled his discomfort when classmates "laughed and giggled and stared at me" during the audiobook's racial slurs.
Bowen Cole, 18, shared similar experiences with another classic text, To Kill a Mockingbird.
"I was the only black person there in a class which was completely white," said Cole, who found hearing racist language repeated in lessons "really awkward" and "confusing".
Other students had varying perspectives. Harry, 17, felt the classroom provided a safe environment for discussing sensitive subjects.
Celyn, 16, expressed discomfort with the novel's "old-fashioned" beliefs and depiction of women, but noted: "I think it made us more aware maybe that some things still haven't changed".
English teacher Rhian Evans from Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Myrddin in Carmarthen acknowledged the text's previous popularity in schools.
She noted the book was widely chosen because it was accessible for children of all abilities and explored important themes about "how we treat each other in general in our societies".
While her classroom avoided repeating racial slurs during discussions, Evans recognised her limitations in understanding the impact.
"As a white woman I will never know what it feels like to be a child of colour in a classroom where they are forced to encounter that word as part of their GCSE education," she said.
Though she said Of Mice and Men "would be missed," Evans supported exploring other authors "who come from all sorts of backgrounds and who would perhaps also introduce the same kind of themes, but in a more relevant and a more modern way to pupils of today".
The WJEC exam board has emphasised that their new qualification represents a fresh approach to text selection, rather than simply revising existing materials.
The WJEC exam board has confirmed the text will no longer be among the options offered to Welsh schools, as part of a broader overhaul of qualifications
Getty
A WJEC spokesperson said they employed an anti-racism consultant "to help us ensure our qualifications reflect a modern and inclusive Wales".
The board consulted with various organisations to develop their new combined English language and literature GCSE.
"We have provided a choice of work from writers of diverse backgrounds, nationalities, genders, and communities," the spokesperson said.
The board expressed confidence that "this new selection will enrich the educational experience by providing a choice of texts that will resonate with learners".
Of Mice and Men remains an optional text in Northern Ireland's GCSE English literature course.
In England, a major exam board dropped the text in 2014 under then Education Secretary Michael Gove's push for more British works.
You may like
