More N-word trouble
JC
I posted a story about a high school teacher getting into trouble for using the N-word back in February. Here’s another story about a school dealing with racial intolerance around this slur. This time, it’s a middle school in DC. Make sure to check out the video, as it definitely gives more details than the article.
I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised to see how the school’s administration was dealing with it. There was no denial or sweeping under the rug (it seemed that this was going on a bit at the higher level with the superintendent, though). The Principal acknowledged the problem, has addressed it, and has made a commitment to figuring it out.
Interesting that part of the solution was to send a note home to parents that asked them to sign and agree to talk with their kids about race. I think this is great, but then….the first worry that comes to mind is, what about the kids who learned the intolerance from their parents? This is an interesting story — because it answers the question “Whose responsibility is it to teach kids about race? Teachers or parents?” Obviously, I would say both. And it looks like the Principal and I are on the same page with that. Learning things in school is not enough, learning things at home is not enough – let’s approach this issue with our children from both angles. (I honestly think that in many cases, kids aren’t getting these kinds of lessons from school or at home)
I think that the Principal in this story is to be commended for taking this on (sad that I am so excited — it is his job after all — but I have heard a lot of personal anecdotes about administrators saying they will address something and then don’t out of fear). He’s not shying away from it, but he’s also not getting all worked up about it in a dramatic way. He’s handling it responsibly and with seriousness. I think this is a good model for schools — Obviously, one could very easily see this situation being much worse if the principal was anxious and nervous and trying to present an image of a well-functioning school above anything else.
Like the principal in this story, it’s high time that everyone just recognizes the horrendous stuff going on, rolls up their sleeves, and gets to work on it! (Yes, I’m idealistic, so what? :))
darncase wrote:
I also commend the principal from recognizing and reacting to a situation. The problem here is that we can not observe the mechanism behind why these white students are behaving in this manner. I’m afraid
that the way this situation may be played in the media, the involvement of
groups like the NAACP, and overcompensation on the part of
administration can lead to a worse outcome than handling it in a
more private, local manner by breeding resenting and pasting the “racist” label on some who do not deserve it..
It could be we are only seeing one side of the story; maybe
some sort of in-school altercation that has gone a bit out of
control. Or it could be that the white children are growing up
in a very racist household. Thus, asking a racist parent to
teach otherwise is useless and the best we can ask for is that
the parent will censor the child. Or it could be that these white students have watched black students call each other the n-word when engaging each other belligerently and decided without, particular racial animus, to emaluate (I have seen a situtation like this one where two white kids were about to fight and one said what’s up now n-word, probably emulating a movie or rap song he has heard).
Each of these hypothetical situations would
need to be handled in a different way for a reasonable solution
(and none requires the NAACP to get involved!).
Notwithstanding the hurt felt by this child when called by a
perceived racial epithet, this situation illustrates the
paradoxical nature of this word in society today. Use of it by non-blacks is not prima facie evidence of racism nor is the absence of it sign of a lack of racism. On one hand, the use of the n-word is viewed by much of society as a vestige of a shameful racist past and thus many will not use it -even some who hold racist feelings-and distance themselves from those who do.
On the other hand, public airing of the n-word has not
decreased very much during these “more enlightened” times and
may have increased due in large part to everyday black
conversation, and more importantly, the profligate use of it by
popular rappers.
Posted 09 Apr 2006 at 4:48 pm ¶
Merq wrote:
Darncase:
That’s all well and good, but wrong is wrong. You can’t in any way diminish the flat-out “wrongness” of such usage by reeling off examples of when “these people say it too.”
I also took issue with you stereotypically assuming that black people who say “nigga” are automatically belligerent. Yes, they’re wrong for using the word so casually, but it seems you’re evoking the image of the “loud, obnoxious kids on the C train” in order to strengthen some argument that the white kid who says the word shouldn’t quite be held as accountable as some would like.
I know people who use the words nigga, cracka, and sp*ck in casual conversation. They aren’t being hostile in their use of the words, but I still know better than to condone the use of such words in my presence. Why? Because although neither sp*ck nor cracka has quite the ugly history of “nigger,” there are established codes of conduct we are encouraged to follow.
Besides, I just don’t feel there’s anything to gain in calling someone a cracker/a. Which is why I will never understand people who excuse the non-white use of the word “nigga” by exclaiming that “blacks use the word all the time, so why can’t I?”
That shit will never cease to perplex me.
Posted 10 Apr 2006 at 1:09 am ¶
Darncase wrote:
Merq:
I take issue with you claiming that I was assuming a stereotype about blacks who use the n-word as being belligerent. I wrote no such thing. I was talking about the particular case, with which I am very familiar, that often the word comes out during arguments and fights. Witnesses to this, particularly children, may not be able fully understand the context of its usage. Later in my post I note its use in casual conversation by black people. I do not want non-blacks referring to blacks with this word any more than you do but the problem is in using it so much in every day conversation and music, especially in the presence of others, weakens its social taboo. This is probably why I see, for example, Korean students walking up to each other saying “what’s up my nigga?” Though they know that it is a racial epithet, their orientation with the word is not in the context of racist acts.
Secondly, I did not intend my post as a mitigation of the child’s fault at using the word nor was I condoning the use of the word by non-blacks, instead I was noting that it could be -rather than some overtly racist aim- that other reasons why a child might invoke this word. Labeling this child as a racist and other kids at the school racists, instead of acknowleging his mistake and teaching them otherwise may breed resentment and future bad actions.
Posted 10 Apr 2006 at 12:53 pm ¶
Merq wrote:
I hear you, and definitely agree with the last sentence of your post.
Posted 10 Apr 2006 at 3:57 pm ¶