The READ (representation in English allows for dialogue) Club is a new organization that allows students to meet and talk about books that could be introduced into the English curriculum. “The heart of it is a wonderful thing. As a department, we are already trying to build more inclusion into the text, so it’s nice to have students come in and see what their ideas are,” said Joyce Kang, sponsor of the club. Kang also said that the club is a way for communication with the teachers so they can hear directly from the students. 

READ started last year and holds one meeting each month. “It’s mainly to help others feel represented in English classes, so it’s really a good cause and it’s really fun too,” said Sahar Rahman, club president. “It’s a safe environment for people to feel understood and there’s no judgment in the club.” As one of the four club officers, Rahman conducts meetings, and she hopes that others will be able to personally relate to the books they are reading in English class. 

The club’s sponsor from last year, Jennifer Fulton, helped start the READ club with a former student. She said that students last year were surprised to find that teachers were aware of the problem with the lack of diversity, and were working to bring in more texts with different voices. “The student voice is so critical, so it’s not just teachers saying that this text is important for this reason, but to have students saying I need to see myself in the texts that I read,” said Fulton. “The reality is that not all students are seeing themselves in literature. It’s the truth here, but it’s also a larger issue in education.”

The club is holding its next meeting on Oct. 20, where they will discuss a book that could possibly be introduced into the English curriculum. Kang said that joining the club is a way for students to have their voices heard by teachers. “We’re restarting because we have a new set of officers so people who want to join, it’s a great time to do that,” said Kang. “You can help shape the club in your own way.” To learn more about the club and hear about upcoming meetings, join the Schoology group. The code is FXCN-5RG4-55HVV.