By Carl Campanile
Italian-American advocates want Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña to ban from reading lists a series of children’s books that they say perpetuate negative stereotypes by touting the infamous gangster Al Capone.
Books in the “Tales from Alcatraz” novels written by acclaimed author Gennifer Choldenko are titled “Al Capone Does My Shirts,” “Al Capone Shines My Shoes” and “Al Capone Does My Homework.”
Capone was a prisoner at Alcatraz from 1935 to 1939.
“Italian-Americans remain the last ethnic group in New York that it is acceptable to negatively stereotype,” John Fratta, chairman of the Italian-American Action Network, wrote in a March 25 letter to Fariña.
He is going public after the chancellor’s office brushed off his written complaint.
The Department of Education confirmed that some principals have “Capone” on elementary-school and middle-school reading lists.
“ ‘Al Capone Does My Shirts’ is a Newberry Honor and ALA Notable Children’s book and has received praise and honors from literary magazines across the country,” said DOE spokesman Harry Hatfield. “We empower principals to develop reading lists that are appropriate for their students and respect the diversity of their communities.”
