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Kate Clanchy was blasted for some of the offensive terms she used in her 2019 book Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me. Despite winning the esteemed Orwell Prize for political writing last year, Ms Clanchy – who has spent more than 30 years working as a teacher – was blasted on social media over its contents.
Twitter users slammed her for alleged racial stereotyping after she referred to a black child as having “chocolate-coloured skin”.
She later described him as “African Jonathan”.
Another black child was described as “so small and square and Afghan with his big nose and premature moustache”.
The 56-year-old was chastised for using the term “almond-shaped eyes” – a racial term sometimes used to refer to people of Asian origin.
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When the fury emerged last week, Ms Clanchy – a Scot living in England – claimed that the passages in question had been taken out of context.
Fellow author Philip Pullman jumped to her defence, saying the book was “humane, decent and generous”.
But as the scandal snowballed, Ms Clanchy said in an updated statement yesterday that she was “grateful” for the chance to “do some rewriting on Some Kids”.
“I know I got many things wrong, and welcome the chance to write better, more lovingly,” she said.
“I am not a good person, I do try to say that in my book.
“Not a pure person, not a patient person, no one’s saviour. You are right to blame me, and I blame myself.”
Picador, Ms Clanchy’s publisher, said that it was “profoundly sorry” for any offence that Some Kids had caused.
Earlier today, the Orwell Foundation told the Guardian that while it does not comment on the individual judging decisions of its jury, it acknowledged the “concerns and hurt” expressed about the work.
“The foundation understands the importance of language and encourages open and careful debate about all the work which comes through our prizes,” it said.
“Everyone should be able to engage in these discussions, on any platform, without fear of abuse.”
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