English 214: Intro to Ebonics
Warning: This post contains references towards racist language and a link to a video loaded with them, even though they are not used in a degrading manner…(most of the time.) If this offends you, please vacate the premises. Other than that, sit back and shut up while I’m talking.
This past Friday, there was a video posted at Ebaum’s World that I just had to blog on because it says so much about the culture we live in. Apparently, a teacher at a school got in trouble for using the N-word in a questionable manner. I thought it was a silly story to begin with, but it’s also blogworthy. So let’s blog. Here’s the link to the video:
http://media.ebaumsworld.com/wmv/nword.wmv
As you watch this video, turn back to the blog to read what I have to say about certain parts as I rip this one:
Interviewer: What did he say to you?
Student: Sit down, nigga.
Ok, that sounds pretty darn harsh. But what does the teacher have to say?
Announcer:The teacher told him to sit down, and he said that Keishon (interviewee) used the N-word first.
Teacher: …And I was just kinda stunned a second. “Well, then get awayfrom the door, ni**a.” And I repeated the same insult because that’s sorta what I’ve been trained to do.
Unbelievable. So this guy’s contending that the kid used the word first, therefore he’s obliged to do so. See, this is breaking one of the rules of authority. If you’re a parental figure, babysitter, schoolteacher, whatever, you should always try and set the example. Do not stoop to the levels of your apprentice in this manner. And yes, if you think I’m inferring that using the N-word makes you low-life no matter what race you are, you’ve guessed correctly. Plus, I’ve just found out that if you stop the video on this idiot at the right frame, he looks like a drunk moron. No surprise.
He’s been trained to repeat the same insult. This ain’t school training, that’s for sure.
Announcer: Dawson (the teacher) says students used the slang version of the N-word at Valley High School all the time. He says N-I-*-*-E-R is a racial slur, but says that students use N-I-*-*-A As often as they’d say “Dude” or “Hey man.” And Dawson says as much as he does not like the word, he still used the slang version to feel more comfortable with black students.
And here we see the teacher holding up flashcards saying that “ni**er” and “ni**a” are “2 completely different words!” I’m amazed that with this much language, they even allow this story to go on the news without being censored. Yunno, it’s just funny to see how this guy defends himself so energetically for using a racial slur that he didn’t even intend to use in an offensive manner, but STILL shouldn’t have used in the first place. I hope this guy enjoys his suspension.
So after the teacher uses the word several times in a row to emphasize his point (making me giggle hysterically at how dumb this guy is saying this to a black, female reporter,) the interview continues:
Interviewer: What kind of example are you setting for your students if you use a word that you don’t want them to use?
Teacher: Upon reflection, it’s not good.
Duh. So is suspension good enough? Let’s ask Keishon, the young black student.
Student:…Apologizing isn’t going to change the fact that it happened and he’s not been punished.
Interviewee: And punishment in your mind is…?
Student: Not having his job anymore.
Really? Over using a stupid word once? The teacher screws up once with this guy and that’s all he needs to get fired. I’ll go easy on this kid. He’s a freshman in high school, he needs to learn a little more. But I think a ten day suspension and retraining (which is what Dawson got) would be enough punishment for the teacher. Unless the kid was maybe aware of the last time Dawson was suspended.
Reporter: But this is not the first time Paul Dawson has been suspended from Jefferson County Public Schools. Coming up at 5:30, we’ll tell you what happened before, we’ll tell you about his plan to appeal the suspension and why the district says he should keep his job.
It’s not the first time, but the district still says he should keep his job. I would love to see the next block of the news just to see what the district had to say, but I think all this proves a point. I can’t take sides on this issue because it’s either side with the teacher who thinks he’s too good for a ten day suspension over using the N-word or the student who thinks he should lose his job over this one incident. In my opinion, I think the teacher should serve out his suspension, keep his job, try a different approach that doesn’t use racial slurs and stop being an idiot. But still, I wonder myself. Why is it OK for a black person to use the N-word but not a white person. Not that I think it’s OK for either race to use the word, but do you see white people going around saying “What’s up, crackah?” I don’t think so.
This past Friday, there was a video posted at Ebaum’s World that I just had to blog on because it says so much about the culture we live in. Apparently, a teacher at a school got in trouble for using the N-word in a questionable manner. I thought it was a silly story to begin with, but it’s also blogworthy. So let’s blog. Here’s the link to the video:
http://media.ebaumsworld.com/wmv/nword.wmv
As you watch this video, turn back to the blog to read what I have to say about certain parts as I rip this one:
Interviewer: What did he say to you?
Student: Sit down, nigga.
Ok, that sounds pretty darn harsh. But what does the teacher have to say?
Announcer:The teacher told him to sit down, and he said that Keishon (interviewee) used the N-word first.
Teacher: …And I was just kinda stunned a second. “Well, then get awayfrom the door, ni**a.” And I repeated the same insult because that’s sorta what I’ve been trained to do.
Unbelievable. So this guy’s contending that the kid used the word first, therefore he’s obliged to do so. See, this is breaking one of the rules of authority. If you’re a parental figure, babysitter, schoolteacher, whatever, you should always try and set the example. Do not stoop to the levels of your apprentice in this manner. And yes, if you think I’m inferring that using the N-word makes you low-life no matter what race you are, you’ve guessed correctly. Plus, I’ve just found out that if you stop the video on this idiot at the right frame, he looks like a drunk moron. No surprise.
He’s been trained to repeat the same insult. This ain’t school training, that’s for sure.
Announcer: Dawson (the teacher) says students used the slang version of the N-word at Valley High School all the time. He says N-I-*-*-E-R is a racial slur, but says that students use N-I-*-*-A As often as they’d say “Dude” or “Hey man.” And Dawson says as much as he does not like the word, he still used the slang version to feel more comfortable with black students.
And here we see the teacher holding up flashcards saying that “ni**er” and “ni**a” are “2 completely different words!” I’m amazed that with this much language, they even allow this story to go on the news without being censored. Yunno, it’s just funny to see how this guy defends himself so energetically for using a racial slur that he didn’t even intend to use in an offensive manner, but STILL shouldn’t have used in the first place. I hope this guy enjoys his suspension.
So after the teacher uses the word several times in a row to emphasize his point (making me giggle hysterically at how dumb this guy is saying this to a black, female reporter,) the interview continues:
Interviewer: What kind of example are you setting for your students if you use a word that you don’t want them to use?
Teacher: Upon reflection, it’s not good.
Duh. So is suspension good enough? Let’s ask Keishon, the young black student.
Student:…Apologizing isn’t going to change the fact that it happened and he’s not been punished.
Interviewee: And punishment in your mind is…?
Student: Not having his job anymore.
Really? Over using a stupid word once? The teacher screws up once with this guy and that’s all he needs to get fired. I’ll go easy on this kid. He’s a freshman in high school, he needs to learn a little more. But I think a ten day suspension and retraining (which is what Dawson got) would be enough punishment for the teacher. Unless the kid was maybe aware of the last time Dawson was suspended.
Reporter: But this is not the first time Paul Dawson has been suspended from Jefferson County Public Schools. Coming up at 5:30, we’ll tell you what happened before, we’ll tell you about his plan to appeal the suspension and why the district says he should keep his job.
It’s not the first time, but the district still says he should keep his job. I would love to see the next block of the news just to see what the district had to say, but I think all this proves a point. I can’t take sides on this issue because it’s either side with the teacher who thinks he’s too good for a ten day suspension over using the N-word or the student who thinks he should lose his job over this one incident. In my opinion, I think the teacher should serve out his suspension, keep his job, try a different approach that doesn’t use racial slurs and stop being an idiot. But still, I wonder myself. Why is it OK for a black person to use the N-word but not a white person. Not that I think it’s OK for either race to use the word, but do you see white people going around saying “What’s up, crackah?” I don’t think so.
posted by Jaimetud at 3:57 PM
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