Ok, having read what this book is about....this is historical fiction for Charlie. My thought is that he needs to be literate and numerate to handle everyday life and can use other school subjects to find out what he might have an aptitude for if he's able to work ( see what I said above about independant life ). All he needs to know is that in different parts of the country, people with different color skin were treated differently even before you were born. I know racism still exists, but surely these imbeciles have some inkling that Charlie finds working out people living now hard enough ? Sorry, ranting. But those teachers are lucky it's you and not me they have to deal with.