2018
Craig Silvey News 2018.
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February 11 to February 13, 2018.
A high school principal in Western Australia is considering banning Jasper Jones and other books over concerns the content is too explicit. On February 11, Craig Silvey posted the following on Facebook (archive 1; archive 2):
I just want to make a brief statement about the Georgiana Molloy Anglican School’s pending intention to ban Jasper Jones, among other works, as I’m getting a bunch of calls about it.
To Principal Kosicki, I would say this:
I appreciate that parents and administrators wish to protect younger people from material they consider harmful. But I would strongly advance the case that the foremost endeavour of any senior school is to produce students who are capable of navigating an adult world once they have graduated.
Often this requires sensitively introducing themes and ideas that can be confronting. What literature affords our students is a safe means of exposure to challenging material. A story is an opportunity to travel beyond the familiar, and to observe and explore the world from other perspectives. This is a vital, timeless practice. It enriches us by inviting us to empathise and understand. Rather than close us off, it opens us up, and it makes us better people.
But it has to be honest. And often the truth is painful, frightening, confusing, or difficult to process. This is why I’d urge you to trust your staff, whose expertise lie in guiding and encouraging students through discussion, passing on the requisite skills to digest and dissect, and offering context and advice, so that the content in stories won’t be too distressing or overwhelming, and neither will the world beyond them.
Most of all, trust your students. They’re stronger, wiser and more capable than you might presume.
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Some context related to Craig Silvey's above words:
"Georgiana Molloy Anglican School Book Ban: Works by William Shakespeare and Tim Winton May Be Among Those Withdrawn from Curriculum," by Dylan Caporn for The West Australian, published February 11, 2018 (archive 1; archive 2).
"Georgiana Molloy Anglican School Principal Ted Kosicki Promises Book Review After Complaints," by Geof Parry for The West Australian, published February 11, 2018 (archive).
"West Australian School Heads Off Book Ban Fears," by Hannah Barry and Emma Young for WA Today, published February 12, 2018 (archive 1; archive 2).
Craig Silvey joins Tracy Vo and Channel 9 Live Perth to discuss a potential ban of Jasper Jones at Georgiana Molloy Anglican School in Busselton, Western Australia, video published February 12, 2018.
"Georgiana Molloy Anglican School Backflips on Book Ban," published February 13, 2018 (archive 1; archive 2).
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(Above image: Tracy Vo and Craig Silvey. Image source: Tracy Vo's Twitter; archive 1; archive 2.)
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April 30, 2018.
Tickets for Queensland Theatre’s production of Jasper Jones are now on sale. Performances will be from July 28 to August 18, 2018.
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May 17, 2018.
Craig Silvey gave a speech at the Positive Schools Conference in Brisbane, Queensland. More info: PositiveSchools.com.au (archive 1; archive 2).
(Source of above image: Tracey Spicer; archive 1; archive 2.)
Craig Silvey will also be speaking at the following conferences:
* May 25 - Positive Schools Conference, Perth.
* June 1 - Positive Schools Conference, Melbourne.
* June 7 and 8 - Positive Schools Conference, Sydney.
* July 9 - AATE ALEA National Conference, Perth. More info: EnglishLiteracyConference.com.au (archive 1; archive 2).
* July 11 - NZATE Conference 2018, Hamilton, New Zealand; Craig Silvey's keynote address will focus on the power and importance of "coming of Age" literature in the classroom. More info: Conference18.co.nz (archive 1; archive 2).
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July 2018.
Craig Silvey gives some advice to teachers working with his novel, Jasper Jones, in the classroom, and talks about why people should see the Queensland Theatre production of Jasper Jones. (The following image is a screenshot from one of the videos.)
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August 4, 2018.
The fourth stage production of Jasper Jones was performed in Brisbane, by Queensland Theatre, in July and August 2018. Here's a photo of Craig Silvey with the cast and crew (source).
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August 6, 2018.
Amateur performance rights for stage productions of Jasper Jones are now available. Here are details. Also, copies of Kate Mulvany’s definitive stage adaptation can be purchased from Currency Press.
