The Orwell Foundation gives in to cancel culture

Books.
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In 2020, the Orwell Foundation awarded its book prize in political writing to Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me by former teacher Kate Clanchy. According to the judges, "Clanchy's reflections on teaching and the stories of her students are moving, funny, full of love and offer sparkling insights into modern British society."

On Tuesday, the foundation had second thoughts. With the book facing criticism of ostensibly demeaning descriptions of minority, immigrant, and autistic students, the foundation issued a statement acknowledging "concerns and hurt" about the book and distancing itself from "individual judging panel decisions."

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Samuel Goldman

Samuel Goldman is a national correspondent at TheWeek.com. He is also an associate professor of political science at George Washington University, where he is executive director of the John L. Loeb, Jr. Institute for Religious Freedom and director of the Politics & Values Program. He received his Ph.D. from Harvard and was a postdoctoral fellow in Religion, Ethics, & Politics at Princeton University. His books include God's Country: Christian Zionism in America (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2018) and After Nationalism (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2021). In addition to academic research, Goldman's writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and many other publications.