1. Mikal wrote:

I dont beleive anything coming out of the students mouth. He is lying about saying nigga to the teacher. The reason he is lying is because he already told his mother that he didnt say nigga to his teacher. He is also a weak kid who is trying to play the victum. His father needs to stop being absentee and teach this boy how to be a young man and understand that when you dish it out be prepared to take it and not consider yourself a victum when you dish it out first.

The teacher shouldnt have said what he said but he certainly should be suspended for 10 days without pay maybe a week. 10 days can mean financial ruin for some teachers. I also agree with the diversity training.

In the end the whole ordeal should have been handle by the student and he should have understood that maybe I shouldnt have said that to my teacher. Conversly, the teacher should tolerate such vulgarity and put the student in his place without stooping to the kids immaturity level. The kid will always have the upper hand when you stoop to their level.

2. DCI74 wrote:

Utter foolishness. My perspective on this issue has changed over the years and I no longer buy the argument that the ending changes the intent; to me that’s garbage. Regardless of pronunciation it’s still the same word but it’s the context that affects intent. Beyond that as someone who works with teens to me his excuse is completely lame. You are a teacher not their friend, associate or peer so there is no reason to try to use “their language” as way to connect with them. Any time one of my kids addressed me as their nigger I immediately check them but use it as an opportunity to discuss the issue not just quash it.

3. clifton harrison wrote:

uh oh…what did Marc start with this one….again…

4. Z wrote:

Didn’t they do an episode about this situation on the Boondocks?

5. Logic wrote:

“Can you lend a nigga a pencil?” Classic. I have made a concerted effort over the years to minimize my use of the “n-word” but I have to admit, it feels so natural to use the word when I’m chillin’.

6. jess wrote:

DC174, I agree with you wholeheartedly. It has not ever been, it is not, nor will it ever be permissible to justify the usage of this word as a term of endearment or mechanism of relating with someone several years your junior. People have different views on the term, but I personally don’t see how anyone (especially Black people) can see the reason behind using a word that is so racially charged… I mean, seriously. It was the epithet that was hurled at Emmett Till as he was being murdered. It was shouted at our ancestors as their bodies were strung up on trees. Altering intonations and adding letters to or subtracting letters from the word don’t make it any less offensive. This incident happened a while ago. Why does this dude still have a job?

And yes Z, they did a parody of this on the boondocks! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dzLZrqMvCA

7. jordan wrote:

I think we all should just concede the point to DC that an adult male educator should not try to borrow the language of his students in order to look cool, especially when that language has a complex history.
Instead, we should focus our energy on making hilarious guesses as to the reason for this teacher’s other suspension and/or why the district is not firing him.

8. ChgoSista wrote:

Was this the inspiration for that “Boondock’s” episode? I wonder…

9. Miriam wrote:

I believe Mr. Dawson’s excuses were also lame. I am curious to know, however, if this was a black male teacher, what would have
been the result? The classic catch 22, is really not that deep.

10. Mikal wrote:

Why should he be fired. Because the kids feelings his hurt. His feelings is not hurt he is playing the victim because he has the upper hand. Hold the student accountable for his actions also. Lets not allow the lying student to play victim here. Teacher should only get five days suspension and the student should get suspended also. Let students know that you are not going to refer to a teacher as nigga and let the faculty know that same. Dont let the Student off the hook.

11. wouldn't you like to know? wrote:

LMAO @ nig-gahhhhh!

hahahaha…

strangely, i believe this guy. i do believe he should’ve found another way to communicate with his students, however, i do think he’s sincere about the way he uses the word…

i genuinely believe that some white folks don’t understand why we (blk folk) use the word so freely, and with love even….

i think it confuses some, so much so, to the point where they feel they can use it too…

honestly, i believe there are alot of white folks out there that uses the term amoungst their friends privately, in the same context we (blk folk) use it freely in the open…

i’m not trying to make excuses for this guy, because i don’t think any white person should just toss around that word, but in this situation, as Miriam so eloquently put it, “it’s really not that deep”.

12. Bitter Brother wrote:

Although I have historically defended the usage of the n-word amongst Blacks, this story presents the main problem with that position. The teacher’s story is lame, but it’s plausible that he extracted a distinction between the two forms of the word. As Black people, we have legitimized it as a greeting or term of endearment.With that being said, we’ve opened up the possibility that some stupid and impolitic, but well-meaning Whites will attempt to use this to connnect with us. Call me credulous all day, but this teacher has me considering he is not a racist ipso facto.

13. ~JJG~ wrote:

Hmm, where do I begin? I have stories regarding the word “nigger/nigga” for days.

First, let me say that I do not think the teacher meant any harm when he used the n-word. Whites are sometimes clueless when it comes to racial matters. They are the only group of people who are race-less, they do not have to think about being white in same manner that society forces me to acknowledge that I am a black woman on a daily basis. I can never forget that I am a black woman, because my kinks, skin, hips, and the confederate flag on sale on the corner won’t let me.

During graduate school, I would substitute teach and I remember coming across a black student who got suspended for using the word nigga. A white teacher wrote him up. My students would constantly use the word in from of whites, which drove me crazy. I regularly got on them about the usage, but they didn’t get it. They were just far to remove from the sacrifice of our ancestors. We must continue to lament and educate our youth on this issue. I also recall a time when a white student used the opportunity of studying the African countries to say the word nigger to me. As I walked by his desk, he smirked, looking at his friend and said, “nig-nig-ger.” I said to him, “no, it’s NYI-ger [Niger].” He laughed as I walked away. In that brief moment I felt helpless.

I truly believe that racism and tolerance are taught. I have made the personal decision not to use the word nigga. I remember when I first moved to the south, my five year old cousin was playing in the sandbox and his white friend, also five, called him a nigger. Her father quickly ran to our house apologizing noting that he was sorry and that she heard the word on television. We all knew she did not hear it on television, but instead she heard the word in her home. Later that day I asked my cousin what did she call him, and he yelled, “She called me a NUG-GY.” I fell out. He knew nothing about the word nigga, and as far as he was concerned she called him a chicken nugget. Let’s teach our children why we shouldn’t use the word nigga.

So affectionately, you all my NUGGIES! LOL!

14. ~JJG~ wrote:

*so affectionately, you all are my NUGGIES! LOL!

15. natural nubian wrote:

this is definitely in my top 5 b’shop favs. the best part is not only did they put the black news anchor on the story (no suprise) but then the teacher had exhibits a & b as evidence! saddes part is those who fail to know their history and where they came from are bound not only to repeat it, but will be even worse off than where they came from. and the use of the N-word is no different. and i know plenty of intellectuals who are fully aware of slavery, but still play into the ploy that the word is their way of showing affection. psychological slavery is a helluva thing.

16. Lovely209 wrote:

I disagree with those of you who believe that man is geniune in his ignorance(respectfully). This man is a EDUCATOR!! That means, at the very least, he has a degree. So he’s not that dumb!! We have had this discussion TOO MANY times for white people to STILL be claiming they DONT UNDERSTAND. Even if they don’t understand WHY they still know NOT to use the word, period. I believe that the teacher used the word to be spiteful to a smart-mouthed black student. Then the black student claimed to not have used the term because he wants the teacher to look like a racist… So then the teacher plays dumb to cover his ass.. Case closed.

17. Carlos wrote:

This whole thing is as phony as Marc’s indigantion about
“Barack the Magic Negro” on O’Reiily tonight. Where’s Marc’s
outrage when Obama refers to his grandmother as a “typical
white person” or the numerous derogatory references and opinions
of Whites in Obama’s books?! The Black community whines about the infamous “N” word when they should be more worried about the
deep self loathing within their own people. That’s what leads to
70% illegitimacy, absentee “fathers”, abused women and a Black on Black murder rate that’s gone up dramatically while the same
crime has decreased among Whites. Yes, the teacher was stupid to
use that language, for whatever reason he chose to do so. But
all this hissy fit and the student saying the guy should lose
his job? Ridiculous! At least Hill does condemn the hateful
rap industry for it’s complicity- on that we do agree.

18. Mikal wrote:

Loverly209 when did it mean that a degree means you are smart or have common sense. Thats very egoic of you to believe that what you see as common sense is common to all. Common sense to most white people is that if you say the word the it is fair game. I believe the kid played dumb when he said that he didnt say nigga to his teacher. I still dont believe that the teacher was trying to hurt the kid nor do I believe that the kid was hurt at all by the teachers words.

19. Clifton Harrison wrote:

well lovely, you sure are assuming alot…

20. Marc Lamont Hill wrote:

it’s probably inappropriate, but i laugh every time i hear him say “can u loan a nigga a pencil?”

21. Lovely209 wrote:

Yeah well Clifton call me crazy, but I think people are only that dumb when it is convenient for them!!

22. Courtney wrote:

This seems to be a classic case of Black Englich (BE) versus Standard English or White English (WE). The teacher has been teaching for 21 years so he understands the historical context of the word. Further, I thought that as educators we must model responsible behavior, not mimic negative behaviors.

23. Tanya wrote:

LMAO!!!!

OMG, this HAS to be what McGruder based the Boondocks episode off of!

That boys name is KEYSEAN!!! Need I say more! lol

I know for sure he said it first. You could see he was trying to prevent himself from laughing during this interview. Keysean wasn’t offended at all.

But that doesn’t mean the teacher should be excused. He shouldn’t. And neither should Clif be excused for his use of the word!

24. Tanya wrote:

LMAO!!!!

OMG, this HAS to be what McGruder based the Boondocks episode off of!

That boys name is KEYSEAN!!! Need I say more! lol

I know for sure he said it first. You could see he was trying to prevent himself from laughing during this interview. Keysean wasn’t offended at all.

But that doesn’t mean the teacher should be excused. He shouldn’t. And neither should Clif be excused for his use of the word!