Teachers who assign The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian may eventually get a question about the author. In 2018, multiple women publicly accused Sherman Alexie of sexual harassment, and he issued a statement acknowledging that he had harmed people. Some districts and educators have since reconsidered how they teach his work.

Whether to teach the book is a decision for teachers, departments, and districts, and reasonable people land in different places. This article does not argue for one answer. It focuses on how to assess student writing well if the book stays in your curriculum and the topic comes up.

The most important step is clarity about what an assignment is asking. Is it about the text, the author, or the debate over whether authors and their work can be separated? Each requires a different rubric.

Here are ways to keep grading consistent and respectful when the subject is sensitive.

Define the Scope of the Assignment

If students are writing about the novel, keep prompts centered on the text. If you invite them to discuss the author's conduct, treat that as its own assignment with its own criteria, and check your school's guidelines first. Mixing the two without clear boundaries leads to confusion in both discussion and grading.

• State clearly whether the prompt concerns the book, the author, or the broader question of separating art from artist.
• Require evidence for any factual claim about the author, drawn from credible sources.
• Score the strength of reasoning, not the position a student takes.
• Set norms for respectful language before writing begins.
• Follow your school or district guidance on handling sensitive topics.

Grade Reasoning, Not Reactions

Students may have strong feelings, and those feelings are valid. Your rubric should still reward argument, evidence, and fair treatment of other views. A student who thoughtfully argues that the book should be read differently in light of the author's conduct deserves the same credit as one who argues the opposite.

Avoid comments that signal your own view. Keep feedback on structure, clarity, and use of sources.

Keep Factual Claims Accurate

When students write about real people, accuracy matters. Encourage them to distinguish between documented facts, public statements, and speculation, and to cite where each comes from. Checking their sources against your own is a good habit before you finalize scores.

It also models the kind of careful thinking you want them to practice on any topic where facts and opinions get mixed together.

Support Consistent Grading

Sensitive topics can pull graders toward bias in either direction. A written rubric, applied the same way to every paper, is your best protection. Rubric-based tools can add a second layer of consistency, though you should review results carefully on assignments like this one.

The aim is to give students a place to reason about difficult questions and be graded on the quality of that reasoning. That is a skill they will need long after the unit ends.