N-Word Lesson for Students and for Teacher March 19th, 2012 |
Jaclyn Tyndorf I still remember my fourth grade teacher, Mrs.
Ross, standing in front of me, hand outstretched, a stern
expression on her face. Becky had passed me a note and I hadn’t
opened it yet, and wasn’t even sure what it said, but there I
was, holding the incriminating evidence. I was terrified. I bet
this is how one student at Chicago’s Murray Language Academy,
felt last October, when he was caught holding a passed note in
class. The teacher confiscated the note and read it. As it
turned out, the note included rap lyrics with the “N-word.” The
teacher, Lincoln Brown, who is white, felt that this was a
“teachable moment” to discuss racism and the implications of
using such words with his predominately black class. Mr. Brown
grew up in a home active in the civil rights movement; his
parents even named their son after their favorite president.
During the ensuing discussion with his sixth grade class, Mr.
Brown discussed the history of the N-wo