WJEC, the Cardiff-based Welsh exam board, has announced that John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men will no longer be included in the GCSE English syllabus in Wales. The decision comes amid concerns over the book’s repeated use of racial slurs and its potential emotional impact on students.
First published in 1937, the novella explores the friendship between Lennie and George as they navigate life during the Great Depression. Despite its literary significance, the text will be phased out from classrooms starting in September.
Rocio Cifuentes, the Children’s Commissioner for Wales, supported the decision, describing the text as “psychologically and emotionally harmful” to Black students.
She explained: “During our research into racism in schools, many Black children specifically mentioned this text and the harm it caused them.”
In Of Mice and Men, the character Crooks, a Black stable hand, is subjected to racial slurs and repeated use of the N-word.
‘Not Censorship’
Ms Cifuentes emphasised that the decision was not about censorship but safeguarding students’ wellbeing.
“This is about protecting children who have told us how harmful classroom discussions around this text have been for them,” she said.
“They’ve often been the only Black child in the room when these discussions occur, surrounded by derogatory depictions of people who look like them.”
WJEC said the decision was part of a broader overhaul that merges English Language and Literature into one GCSE. The board also employed an anti-racism consultant to advise on the selection of appropriate texts.
A WJEC spokesperson said: “We’ve provided a choice of works from writers of diverse backgrounds, nationalities, genders, and communities. This new selection aims to enrich the educational experience with themes that resonate with modern learners.”
Tory Criticism
Natasha Asghar MS, the Shadow Education Secretary, has spoken out against the decision, arguing that banning the book is counterproductive and limits educational opportunities.
“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.
“Even in 2024, we continue to see racism and sexism in society. If we want to tackle this, then instead of banning a classic text, we would do better to challenge media companies that produce music containing misogynistic language and words with racist connotations.”
Teachers React
Rhian Evans, an English teacher at Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Myrddin in Carmarthen, acknowledged the book’s value but understood the reasoning behind its removal.
She said: “We always addressed the use of the N-word carefully in class, discussing why it shouldn’t be repeated. But as a white woman, I can never fully understand how it feels for a child of colour to encounter that word in an educational setting.”
She added: “There are other authors from diverse backgrounds who explore similar themes in ways more relevant to today’s students.”
Previously, Of Mice and Men and Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird were removed from the OCR English Literature syllabus in 2014, after then-Education Secretary Michael Gove pushed for the inclusion of more British authors.
The updated WJEC syllabus includes classics such as Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, and William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. Contemporary additions include Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library and Christy Lefteri’s The Beekeeper of Aleppo.
The changes aim to ensure a more inclusive and representative literary curriculum for Welsh students.
