An English teacher was caught on camera calling students “over-sensitive” after she asked one of them to say the n-word during a lesson.
The moment was captured at Sequoia Middle School in Fontana, and the unidentified teacher is seen repeating the word while trying to get a student to say it. According to several students, the lesson was about a Mark Twain model when someone asked the teacher about the spelling of the n-word. She reportedly told the class that the word is an English word and “everybody can say it if they want to, it’s in the dictionary, and people are oversensitive over the word.”
The student who recorded the video is African-American and told ABC 7 News that the teacher tried to force another student to say the word with a smirk on her face.
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‘I was just thinking, ‘Dang, this teacher is out of her mind.”” the student continued. The teacher could be heard saying, “Say it! You asked me how to spell it, so go ahead and pronounce it. N****r.”
The Fontana Unified School District did not comment on whether the teacher was disciplined for her behavior with the students.
“While we acknowledge that this derogatory language comes from a novel first published in the late 1800s and that historical context is important to consider when discussing literature, the district does not condone the language that was used in the video or using that language outside of the context of discussing the novel,” the district said in their statement.
ABC7 also contacted the teacher, but she didn’t want to comment on the video.
Idk usually if that word is in a book I am reading I just skip it. It’s not so hard 🤦🏽♀️ https://t.co/SgREdasKYZ
— V (she/her) (@vchingona) April 6, 2023
the teachers at that school were … something else man https://t.co/o6saYSElzW
— 𝒸. (@cinndysarahi) April 6, 2023
More than 15 times is crazy 😂😂 https://t.co/n0fCT9LuH3
— will94.7 (@WavyniggaWill) April 6, 2023
While it is important for students to understand the historical context of the word and its impact on Black people, it’s also important to be sensitive to the potential harm that using the word can cause.
If a teacher is planning to use the N-word for historical context in the classroom, it’s important to approach the subject with care and sensitivity. They should explain the word’s historical context and why it is considered offensive and hurtful, along with making it clear that the use of the word is not acceptable in any other context.
Ultimately, the decision to use the N-word in the classroom for a historical context should be made with careful consideration of the potential harm it can cause and the importance of creating a safe and respectful learning environment for all students.