Author Faces Backlash Over Accusations of Racism
Monisha Rajesh, now an established author, was one of the first to criticize Kate Clanchy’s 2020 memoir Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me. The book, which won the Orwell Prize for political writing, drew criticism a year after publication for allegedly containing racist and dehumanizing descriptions of pupils.
Controversy and Social Media Reaction
Rajesh publicly condemned the memoir on social media, expressing outrage at Clanchy's description of students’ appearances. In August 2021, she wrote on X:
“F***ing chocolate-coloured skin!?! Jesus, this is making me rage and prickle all over.”She also labeled Clanchy with the derogatory nickname "KKKlanchy."
Renewed Debate and Public Apology
Four years later, the controversy has reemerged as the BBC prepares a six-part podcast, An Anatomy of a Cancellation, exploring the dispute that divided literary audiences.
In an unexpected development, Pan Macmillan, Clanchy’s former publisher, issued an apology to both the author and others impacted, admitting to mishandling the backlash as a "regrettable series of events."
“Regrettable series of events.”
This statement acknowledges the publisher’s mistakes in responding to the situation.
Summary
The controversy around Kate Clanchy’s memoir sparked sharp criticism from Monisha Rajesh and others, leading to renewed discussions and a formal apology from the publisher four years later.
Would you like the summary to be more detailed or concise?