If you teach a text with the "N" word...

...you must have a conversation with your class beforehand.  There really is no way around it and it's irresponsible to do otherwise.  A teacher colleague of mine embarked on a novel study of Huckleberry Finn in her 10th grade English Lit class.  During a read aloud, a non-African American student read a section that contained the "N" word thereby inciting disapproval and even anger among many of the African American students.  The class erupted into an angry exchange of words and many students left feeling offended, confused and visibly frustrated. A few of the African American students came to my room to vent their frustration and share the details of what happened. Needless to say, they eventually refused to continue reading the novel.

"Oh, yes, this is a wonderful govment, wonderful. Why, looky here. There was a free nigger there from Ohio – a mulatter, most as white as a white man. He had the whitest shirt on you ever see, too, and the shiniest hat; and there ain't a man in that town that's got as fine clothes as what he had; and he had a gold watch and chain, and a silver-headed cane – the awful- est old gray-headed nabob in the State. And what do you think? They said he was a p'fessor in a college, and could talk all kinds of languages, and knowed everything. And that ain't the wust. They said he could VOTE when he was at home. Well, that let me out. Thinks I, what is the country a-coming to? It was 'lection day, and I was just about to go and vote myself if I warn't too drunk to get there; but when they told me there was a State in this country where they'd let that nigger vote, I drawed out. I says I'll never vote agin. Them's the very words I said; they all heard me; and the country may rot for all me – I'll never vote agin as long as I live. And to see the cool way of that nigger – why, he wouldn't a give me the road if I hadn't shoved him out o' the way. I says to the people, why ain't this nigger put up at auction and sold? – that's what I want to know. (Excerpt from Huckleberry Finn)

I believe in speaking frankly, so I will do so in this post as well. Any lit teacher who does not have an explicit lesson on the use of the "N" word is culturally negligent. Unfortunately, there are many offenders of this violation and often times the result is the aforementioned classroom melee. The truth is that in this day and age a lesson the "N" word is a necessary component of classroom management. Yes, it is that serious. As educators, we cannot assume that our non-Black students aren't using it nor can we assume that all African American students use it or condone it's usage. Our expectations must be set from the very beginning and we must, as a class, operate on one accord. 

Now, I know some of you are saying well...what about other deragotory terms?  Of course, they should be discussed as well. However, my focus today is solely and specifically the "N" word because it has appeared in several novels, although in different connotations, that I have taught in my classes.

There are some teachers who do not feel comfortable discussing it and I empathize.  However, it is your responsibility to make sure that your students are educated on the emotional brevity of the word. Whether you bring in a video, an article or another colleague who is more comfortable is completely up to you.  The how is not as important is what you will say.  My next blog post will discuss why this word remains such a huge issue, details from my own class discussions and how to educate ALL students on the literary usage of the word.