The N-word was used to dehumanize Black Americans, and separate them from white people with the same name. It carries a legacy of hatred and disgust by placing perpetuating stereotypes of Black people as "lazy, and worthless." It is not appropriate to use this word in a school environment, especially when it is used by a teacher, who is supposed to create a safe environment for all their students.
One of the main arguments against not using the N-word when teaching is by leaving it out, you erase the racism in the book, and you lose the integrity of the work. I do not believe this is the case. It is enough for students to read the word in the book, it is enough for teachers to simply say "N-word" when it comes up. As students in America we already understand the horrific nature of the N-word without hearing it aloud. When a teacher says the N-word aloud it only serves to create an environment that is not safe for all students, as they hear a word meant to dehumanize part of our population coming from an authority figure they are supposed to respect. All it does is make the classroom an uncomfortable environment. The absence of the word aloud, as we read it on the page is enough to demonstrate the racism in the book. There are more beneficial ways to discuss racism, and the N-word such as including supplemental reading materials about the history of word, as it was used as an instrament of oppression
Furthermore, some teachers will even go as far as to encourage their students to say the word when reading because "they should not be scared of it." This makes the classroom even more unsafe because the dehumanizing comes from one's peers. It causes students to become desensitized to the word, and not understand the gravity of it.
We the community of Chatham demand the English Department instruct its members to stop the use of the N-word when they teach book that feature it, and to stop encouraging students to say it.
We must utilize a better way to discuss race relations from our history
Updates
June 19, 2020
The momentum behind this campaign proves that students and families are tired of schools ignoring the impact of this word. Now that we have this attention, email your school board members and tell them directly that our classrooms must be safe for everyone.
Reached 100 supporters
June 19, 2020
28 Comments
As an alum of Chatham High School I agree that teachers pushing students to read books aloud as is, including using the N-word is not okay and should not be continued. While I think that students should be educated about the history of race in this country, using this word is offensive and creates an uncomfortable learning environment for everyone.
I’m a Chatham alum and an education major. Saying this word completely goes against what I learn when it comes to creating an inclusive classroom environment. Rather than yelling at students to say a racial slur, why not have a conversation before the reading about systemic racism? Discuss the meaning & impact of the word. This is also just a lazy way to conduct your class! Students are capable of reading the work on their own, listening to an audio recording, etc. Chatham teachers - do better!
I was reading To Kill a Mockingbird out loud to my class and I came across the N word. Since everyone was skimming along as I read, I replaced it with Negro, as that was a less offensive term that was scattered through out the rest of the book. My teacher stopped me immediately and started yelling at me for disrespecting the literature and forced me to say it. As I said no, she began verbally bullying and pressuring me into saying it. Eventually, I did. Even though I had never said it in my entire lifetime, and I never wanted to, I was pressured into saying it in front of my entire class.
I understand discussing the word in an educational context and teaching students why it’s not okay to use the word. I do NOT understand why teachers at CMS/CHS have forced students to use the word when they are reading passages from books. If a student is already uncomfortable and unwilling to say the word, the lesson is already clear - the student already knows that the word carries a past of racism and dehumanization. While we should still have students read books that use the word and discuss the history of the word, no student should be encouraged or forced by a teacher to read the word aloud.
I remember being in 8th grade and feeling so uncomfortable, but basically being forced to say the N word while reading To Kill A Mockingbird out loud in class.
c vraiment pas cool en sah
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The N-word was used to dehumanize Black Americans, and separate them from white people with the same name. It carries a legacy of hatred and disgust by placing perpetuating stereotypes of Black people as "lazy, and worthless." It is not appropriate to use this word in a school environment, especially when it is used by a teacher, who is supposed to create a safe environment for all their students.
One of the main arguments against not using the N-word when teaching is by leaving it out, you erase the racism in the book, and you lose the integrity of the work. I do not believe this is the case. It is enough for students to read the word in the book, it is enough for teachers to simply say "N-word" when it comes up. As students in America we already understand the horrific nature of the N-word without hearing it aloud. When a teacher says the N-word aloud it only serves to create an environment that is not safe for all students, as they hear a word meant to dehumanize part of our population coming from an authority figure they are supposed to respect. All it does is make the classroom an uncomfortable environment. The absence of the word aloud, as we read it on the page is enough to demonstrate the racism in the book. There are more beneficial ways to discuss racism, and the N-word such as including supplemental reading materials about the history of word, as it was used as an instrament of oppression
Furthermore, some teachers will even go as far as to encourage their students to say the word when reading because "they should not be scared of it." This makes the classroom even more unsafe because the dehumanizing comes from one's peers. It causes students to become desensitized to the word, and not understand the gravity of it.
We the community of Chatham demand the English Department instruct its members to stop the use of the N-word when they teach book that feature it, and to stop encouraging students to say it.
We must utilize a better way to discuss race relations from our history
Updates
June 19, 2020
The momentum behind this campaign proves that students and families are tired of schools ignoring the impact of this word. Now that we have this attention, email your school board members and tell them directly that our classrooms must be safe for everyone.
Reached 100 supporters
June 19, 2020
28 Comments
I want to read more books in the English department curriculum that are written by Black authors. I also want to include that in eighth grade, my teacher had the whole class say it together to get “comfortable” saying it when in books. I have never felt more uncomfortable in class. I was sitting next to my black friend that day and I could tell how awkward and embarrassing it was for her to be surrounded by white kids saying the N word.
As an alum of Chatham High School I agree that teachers pushing students to read books aloud as is, including using the N-word is not okay and should not be continued. While I think that students should be educated about the history of race in this country, using this word is offensive and creates an uncomfortable learning environment for everyone.
I’m a Chatham alum and an education major. Saying this word completely goes against what I learn when it comes to creating an inclusive classroom environment. Rather than yelling at students to say a racial slur, why not have a conversation before the reading about systemic racism? Discuss the meaning & impact of the word. This is also just a lazy way to conduct your class! Students are capable of reading the work on their own, listening to an audio recording, etc. Chatham teachers - do better!
I was reading To Kill a Mockingbird out loud to my class and I came across the N word. Since everyone was skimming along as I read, I replaced it with Negro, as that was a less offensive term that was scattered through out the rest of the book. My teacher stopped me immediately and started yelling at me for disrespecting the literature and forced me to say it. As I said no, she began verbally bullying and pressuring me into saying it. Eventually, I did. Even though I had never said it in my entire lifetime, and I never wanted to, I was pressured into saying it in front of my entire class.
I understand discussing the word in an educational context and teaching students why it’s not okay to use the word. I do NOT understand why teachers at CMS/CHS have forced students to use the word when they are reading passages from books. If a student is already uncomfortable and unwilling to say the word, the lesson is already clear - the student already knows that the word carries a past of racism and dehumanization. While we should still have students read books that use the word and discuss the history of the word, no student should be encouraged or forced by a teacher to read the word aloud.
I remember being in 8th grade and feeling so uncomfortable, but basically being forced to say the N word while reading To Kill A Mockingbird out loud in class.
c vraiment pas cool en sah
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I want to read more books in the English department curriculum that are written by Black authors. I also want to include that in eighth grade, my teacher had the whole class say it together to get “comfortable” saying it when in books. I have never felt more uncomfortable in class. I was sitting next to my black friend that day and I could tell how awkward and embarrassing it was for her to be surrounded by white kids saying the N word.