The N-Word in the Classroom | Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor | TEDxEasthamptonWomen

Summary

The speaker, a black woman teaching about race and slavery, recounts the moment a student used the n-word in class, sparking a deep reflection on the word's impact. She discusses her decision to never say the word in her lectures, opting instead for a euphemism, and the challenges this presents. The narrative explores the complexities of the word's history, its use in academic settings, and the emotional responses it elicits. The speaker advocates for open dialogue about the n-word, emphasizing the importance of understanding its historical roots and the need for careful, contextualized teaching to prevent further harm.

Takeaways

• 👩‍🏫 The speaker, a black woman teaching histories of race and slavery, experiences a classroom incident where the n-word is used, highlighting the challenges of discussing racial slurs in an academic setting.
• 🎬 The n-word is mentioned in a 1970s movie comedy during a class discussion, illustrating how media can introduce such slurs into educational conversations.
• 🚫 The speaker chooses to never say the n-word, even when quoting, to avoid perpetuating its harmful impact, reflecting a personal and professional stance on language use in teaching.
• 🤔 The incident prompts a deep reflection on the word's history, its violence, and the emotional responses it elicits, showing the complexity of dealing with racial slurs.
• 🗣️ The concept of 'points of encounter' is introduced to describe moments of直面 racial slurs, emphasizing the varied and personal nature of these experiences.
• 🤝 The speaker's approach to handling the n-word in class evolves, moving from avoidance to open discussion, indicating a shift towards addressing the issue head-on.
• 📚 The n-word's presence in literature and history is acknowledged, with the speaker noting its frequent appearance in assigned readings like 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'.
• 😣 Students express discomfort and trauma when the n-word is used in class without proper context or discussion, underscoring the need for sensitive teaching practices.
• 🔊 The speaker advocates for a classroom policy where the n-word is visible in materials but not spoken aloud, aiming to foster a safer and more thoughtful educational environment.
• 📈 The script discusses the historical and cultural significance of the n-word, tracing its roots back to the 1770s and highlighting its use as a tool against black freedom and aspiration.
• 🌟 The speaker calls for open and honest conversations about the n-word in educational settings, emphasizing the importance of historical context and student well-being.

Q & A

What was the unexpected event that occurred in the classroom when discussing race and slavery?

A student, while quoting a line from a 1970s movie comedy, used the n-word, which was not anticipated by the teacher and led to a significant moment of discomfort in the classroom.

How did the teacher initially react when the n-word was used in her classroom?

The teacher was unprepared for the situation and felt haunted by how she handled it for a long time, as none of her years of graduate school had prepared her for such an incident.

What decision did the teacher make regarding the use of the n-word in her teaching?

The teacher decided to never say the n-word, not even to quote it, and instead use the euphemistic phrase 'the n-word' in her lectures.

What is a 'point of encounter' as described by the teacher?

A 'point of encounter' is the moment when someone comes face-to-face with the n-word, leading to a range of responses that can vary from discomfort to pain and humiliation.

Why does the teacher believe the n-word is difficult to discuss?

The teacher believes the n-word is difficult to discuss because it is not just a word but an idea disguised as a word that perpetuates the notion of black inferiority.

What policy did the teacher implement regarding the n-word in her class after the incident?

The teacher implemented a policy where the n-word would be seen in class materials but would never be spoken aloud, aiming to create a space for discussion without the word's harmful impact.

How did the teacher's approach to discussing the n-word change after hearing her students' personal stories?

After hearing her students' personal stories, the teacher realized the importance of open and honest conversations about the n-word and began to create conditions in her classroom to facilitate such discussions.

What is the significance of the n-word in the context of African American literature and history?

The n-word is significant in African American literature and history as it encapsulates the accumulated hurt and the assault on black freedom, mobility, and aspiration, and is deeply intertwined with the history of racism and inequality in the United States.

Why do some students switch majors or drop classes due to the teaching of the n-word?

Some students switch majors or drop classes due to the lack of proper context and discussion when the n-word is used in class, which can poison the classroom environment and break the trust between students and teachers.

What is the teacher's stance on the responsibility of teaching about the n-word in the classroom?

The teacher believes it is her responsibility, not her black students', to teach about the n-word, and she comes prepared with historical knowledge to facilitate informed discussions.

How does the teacher address the difficulty of talking about the n-word with her students?

The teacher addresses the difficulty by asking her students why talking about the n-word is hard and engaging them in thoughtful discussions, while also ensuring that the word itself is not used in the classroom.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Classroom Encounter with the N-Word

The speaker, a black woman teaching about race and slavery in US history, recounts an incident where a student used the n-word in class. Despite being prepared for sensitive topics, she was caught off guard. The student's use of the word was not malicious but rather a quote from a 1970s movie, which led to a realization that the n-word's presence in academic materials was not something the speaker had fully addressed. This incident prompted her to reflect on her approach to teaching about the word, leading to a decision to avoid using it directly and instead use a euphemism. The speaker grappled with the implications of this choice, considering her professional image and the historical weight of the word. She introduces the concept of 'points of encounter' to describe moments of直面 the n-word, which can elicit a range of emotional responses.

05:01

🗣️ The N-Word Beyond a Word

The speaker delves into the deeper implications of the n-word, arguing that it is more than just a word; it is an idea that encapsulates the belief in the inherent inferiority of black people. This belief, she suggests, is used to justify the ongoing inequality and injustice faced by black individuals. The speaker critiques the common discourse that reduces the n-word to a mere racial slur or an obscene term in music, emphasizing that such discussions fail to address its true nature. She shares her experience of implementing a policy in her class to visually present the word but never vocalize it, which led to a lack of understanding and discussion among her students. The speaker also reflects on the historical context of the n-word, noting that its use by black people as a form of political protest dates back to the 1770s, and she expresses a desire to educate her students about this complex history.

10:02

🏫 The Impact of the N-Word in Educational Settings

The speaker discusses the profound impact the n-word has when introduced in educational settings, particularly in literature like Mark Twain's 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,' which contains the word over 200 times. She describes how the word can poison the classroom environment when not properly contextualized, leading to broken trust between students and teachers. The speaker shares anecdotes from students who have been affected by the word's use in class, including instances of students switching majors or dropping classes due to the discomfort it causes. She also touches on the broader implications of this issue, mentioning protests at various colleges over the use of the n-word in teaching. The speaker advocates for a more thoughtful approach to teaching about the n-word, emphasizing the importance of understanding its historical and cultural significance.

15:05

🔍 Unpacking the N-Word's History and Significance

In this paragraph, the speaker explores the historical roots and political implications of the n-word, revealing that black people first used it as a form of protest against slavery as early as the 1770s. She contrasts this with the common misconception that the word's subversive use began much later. The speaker argues that the n-word is fundamentally an attack on black freedom and aspirations, and she gives examples of how the word is still used to suppress black success and rights today. She expresses a desire to facilitate open conversations about the n-word in her classroom, without using the word itself, and without placing the burden of explanation on black students. The speaker also shares her own personal encounters with the word and the emotional weight it carries, emphasizing the importance of understanding its history to navigate discussions about it effectively.

Keywords

💡N-word

The 'N-word' is a racial slur historically used to demean and dehumanize people of African descent. In the video, it's discussed as a word that carries profound historical weight, representing not just a term of abuse but an encapsulation of the idea of black inferiority. The speaker recounts her experiences with the word in an academic setting, highlighting the discomfort and tension it can create, especially when used in a classroom environment discussing race and history.

💡Points of Encounter

A 'point of encounter' refers to the moments when individuals come face-to-face with the 'N-word' in various contexts, such as social situations, academic discussions, or popular culture. The video uses this term to describe the personal and often challenging experiences people have when confronted with the word, which can elicit a range of emotional responses, from discomfort to humiliation, depending on the individual's background and the situation.

💡Academic Setting

The 'academic setting' is the context in which the speaker, a professor, finds herself dealing with the 'N-word' when it is used by a student during a class discussion. This setting is significant as it represents a space for learning and discourse, yet it also becomes a site of tension and conflict when the word is introduced, highlighting the complexities of discussing race and language in educational environments.

💡Freedom of Speech

The concept of 'freedom of speech' is discussed in relation to the debate over who can use the 'N-word' and in what contexts. The video touches on the idea that while some argue for open discussion to diminish the word's power, others advocate for its avoidance to prevent harm and perpetuation of racist ideas. The speaker's own classroom experiment with a debate on the word's use in academic spaces reflects the ongoing societal struggle to balance free expression with respect for marginalized communities.

💡Racism

Racism is a pervasive theme in the video, with the 'N-word' serving as a focal point for discussions about the historical and ongoing impact of racial discrimination in the United States. The speaker connects the word to broader societal issues, including the legacy of slavery and the systemic devaluation of black people, illustrating how the word is not just an insult but a symbol of deeper social inequalities.

💡Historical Documents

The term 'historical documents' is used to refer to the records and texts that the speaker teaches, which often contain the 'N-word.' These documents are part of the American historical narrative and are important for understanding the development of racist language and ideas. The video emphasizes the challenge of teaching these materials without causing harm or perpetuating stereotypes.

💡Euphemistic Phrase

An 'euphemistic phrase' is a mild or indirect word or phrase used in place of one considered to be too harsh or blunt. In the video, the speaker discusses her decision to use 'the n-word' instead of the actual racial slur when quoting or discussing historical texts. This choice reflects an attempt to navigate the sensitivities around the word while still addressing its historical significance.

💡Cultural Fabric

The 'cultural fabric' refers to the collective beliefs, values, and practices that make up a society. The video uses this term to describe how the 'N-word' is deeply woven into American culture, not just as a historical artifact but as a living symbol of racial inequality. The speaker argues that the word's presence in literature, music, and everyday language reflects and reinforces broader societal attitudes towards race.

💡Teaching Crisis

A 'teaching crisis' is mentioned in the context of the challenges educators face when addressing sensitive topics like the 'N-word' in the classroom. The video describes instances where the use of the word has led to student protests and boycotts, indicating a broader struggle within educational institutions to find effective and respectful ways to discuss race and language.

💡Taboo

The concept of a 'taboo' is used to describe the 'N-word' as a subject that is avoided or considered off-limits in polite conversation due to its offensive nature. The video discusses the paradox of treating the word as a taboo while also acknowledging its pervasive presence in American culture, suggesting that avoiding the word does not address the underlying issues of racism and inequality it represents.

Highlights

A black woman teaching histories of race and US slavery experiences a classroom incident with the n-word.

The n-word was used by a student quoting a 1970s movie comedy, causing discomfort in the classroom.

The teacher's decision to never say the n-word in class, even when quoting, to avoid perpetuating its harmful connotations.

The concept of 'points of encounter' is introduced to describe moments of直面 the n-word.

The n-word's impact is not just historical; it carries present-day implications of racial inferiority.

The classroom becomes a fraught space for discussing the n-word, often leading to a breakdown in trust.

Students' reactions to the n-word in class can lead to switching majors or dropping classes.

The n-word's presence in literature and history makes it a challenging topic to navigate in academic settings.

The n-word is not just a word; it's an idea that perpetuates the notion of black inferiority.

The teacher's realization that the n-word is an assault on black freedom, mobility, and aspiration.

The importance of providing context and discussion when the n-word appears in educational materials.

Students' stories reveal the n-word's deep impact on their lives and the need for better education on its history.

The proposal of a freedom of speech debate on the use of the n-word in academic spaces.

Students' confessions during class discussions reveal the personal and emotional impact of the n-word.

The historical roots of the n-word as a political protest by black people, dating back to the 1770s.

The need for open and honest conversations about the n-word in the classroom, led by the teacher, not the students.

The importance of not making black students responsible for teaching others about the n-word's history and impact.

The teacher's personal journey and the significance of understanding one's own 'points of encounter' with the n-word.

Transcripts

the minute she said it the temperature

in my classroom dropped my students are

usually laser focused on me but they

shifted in their seats and looked away

I'm a black woman who teaches the

histories of race and us slavery I'm

aware that my social identity is always

on display and my students are

vulnerable too so I'm careful I try to

anticipate what part of my lesson might

go wrong but honestly I didn't even see

this one coming

none of my years of graduate school

prepared me for what to do when the

n-word entered my classroom I was in my

first year of teaching when the students

said the n-word in my class she was not

calling anyone a name she was

bright-eyed and bushy-tailed she came to

class with her readings done she sat in

the front row and she was always on my

team when she said it she was actually

making a point about my lecture by

quoting a line from a 1970s movie comedy

that had two racist slurs one for people

of Chinese descent and the other the

n-word as soon as she said it I held up

my hand as I whoa whoa whoa but she

assured me it's a joke from Blazing

Saddles and then she repeated it this

all happened ten years ago and how I

handled it haunted me for a long time it

wasn't the first time I thought about

the word in an academic setting I'm a

professor of US history it's it's in a

lot of the documents that I teach so I

had to make a choice after consulting

with someone I trusted I decided to

never say it

not even to quote it but instead to use

the euphemistic phrase the n-word even

this decision was complicated I didn't

have tenure yet and I worried that

senior colleagues would think that by

using the phrase I wasn't a serious

scholar but saying the actual word still

felt worse

the incident in my classroom forced me

to publicly reckon with the word the

history the violence but also the

history the violence but also any time

it was hurled at me

spoken casually in front of me any time

it rested on the tip of someone's tongue

it all came flooding up in that moment

right in front of my students and I had

no idea what to do so I've come to call

stories like mine points of encounter a

point of encounter describes the moment

you come face-to-face with the n-word if

you've ever been stumped or provoked by

the word whether as the result of an

awkward social situation and

uncomfortable academic conversation

something you heard in pop culture or if

you've been called the slur or witnessed

someone getting called the slur you have

experienced a point of encounter and

depending on who you are and how that

moment goes down you might have a range

of responses could throw you off a

little bit or it could be incredibly

painful and humiliating I've had lots of

these points of encounter in in my life

but one but one thing is true there's

there's not a lot of space to talk about

them that day in my classroom was pretty

much like all of those times I had an

uninvited running with the n-word I

froze because the n-word is hard to talk

about part of the reason the n-word is

so hard to talk about is usually only

discussed in one way as a figure of

speech we hear this all the time right

it's just a word the burning question

that cycles through social media is who

can and cannot say it black intellectual

tonica's Coates does a groundbreaking

job of defending the african-american

use of the word on the other hand Wendy

kaminer a white freedom of speech

advocate argues that if we don't all

just come out and say it we give the

word power and a lot of people feel that

way

the Pew Center recently entered the

debate in a survey called race in

America 2019 researchers asked US adults

if they thought it was okay to for a

white person to say the n-word 70

percent of all adults surveyed said

never and these debates are important

but they really obscure something else

they keep us from getting underneath to

the real conversation which is that the

n-word is not just a word it's it's not

neatly contained in a racist past a

relic of slavery fundamentally the

n-word is an idea

disguised as a word that black people

are intellectually biologically and

immutably inferior to white people and

and I think this is the most important

part that that inferiority means that

the injustice we suffer an inequality we

endure is essentially our own fault so

yes it is

speaking of the word only as racists pew

or as an obscenity in hip-hop music

makes it sound as if it's a disease

located in the American vocal chords

that can be snipped right out it's not

and it can't and I learned this from

talking to my students so next time

class met I apologized and I made an

announcement I would have a new policy

students would see the word in my

powerpoints in film in essays they read

but we would never ever say the word out

loud in class nobody ever said it again

but they didn't learn much either

afterwards what bothered me most was

that I didn't even explain to students

why of all the vile problematic words in

American English why this particular

word had its own buffer a surrogate

phrase the n-word most of my students

many of them born in the late 1990s and

afterwards didn't even know that the

phrase the n-word is a relatively new

invention in American English when when

I was growing up it didn't exist but in

the late 1980s black college students

writers intellectuals more and more

started to talk about racist attacks

against them but increasingly when they

told these stories they stopped using

the word instead they reduced it to the

initial end and called it the n-word

they felt that every time the word was

uttered it opened up old wounds so they

refused to say it they knew their

listeners would hear the actual word in

their heads that wasn't the point the

point was they didn't want to put the

word in their own mouths or into the air

by doing this they made an entire nation

start to second-guess themselves about

saying it this was such a radical move

the people are still mad about it

critics accuse those of us who use the

phrase the n-word or people who become

outraged you know just because the word

is said of being over principled

politically correct or as I just read a

couple of weeks ago in the New York

Times insufferably woke right so so I

bought into this a little bit too which

is why the next time I taught the course

I proposed a freedom of speech debate

the N word in academic spaces for or

against I was certain students would be

eager to debate who gets to say it and

who doesn't but they weren't instead my

students started confessing a white

student from New Jersey talked about

standing by as a black kid at her school

got bullied by this word she did nothing

and years later still carried the guilt

another from Connecticut talked about

the pain of severing a very close

relationship with a family member

because that family member refused to

stop saying the word one of the most

memorable stories came from a very quiet

black student from South Carolina she

didn't understand all the fuss she said

everyone at her school said the word she

wasn't talking about kids calling each

other name in the hall she explained

that at her school when teachers and

administrators became frustrated with an

african-american student they called

that student the actual n-word she said

it didn't bother her at all

but then a couple of days later she came

to visit me in my office hours and wept

she thought she was immune she realized

that she wasn't over the last ten years

I have literally heard hundreds of these

stories from all kinds of people from

all ages people in their 50s remembering

stories from the second grade and when

they were 6 either calling people the

word or being called the word but

carrying that all these years around

this word you know and as I listen to

people talk about their points of

encounter what the pattern that emerge

for me is a teacher that I found most

upsetting is the single most fraught

sight for these points of encounter is

the classroom most us kids are going to

meet the n-word in class one of the most

assigned books in u.s. high schools is

Mark Twain's The Adventures of

Huckleberry Finn in which the word

appears over 200 times and and this is

an indictment of Huck Finn the word is

in lots of US literature in history it's

all over African American literature

yet I hear from students that when the

word is said during a lesson without

discussion and context it poisons the

entire classroom environment the trust

between student and teacher is broken

even so many teachers often with the

very best of intentions still say the

n-word in class they want to show and

emphasize the horrors of u.s. racism so

they rely on it for its shock value

invoking it brings into stark relief the

ugliness of our nation's past but they

forget the ideas are alive and well in

our cultural fabric

the six letter word is like a capsule of

accumulated hurt every time it is said

every time it releases into the

atmosphere the hateful notion that black

people are less my black students tell

me that when the word is quoted or

spoken in class they feel like a giant

spotlight is shining on them one of my

students told me that his classmates

were like bobble heads turning to gauge

his reaction a white student told me

that in the eighth grade when they were

learning to kill a mockingbird

and reading it out loud in class the

student was so stressed out at the idea

of having to read the word which the

teacher insisted all students do that

that the student ended up spending most

of the unit hiding out in the bathroom

this is serious

students across the country talk about

switching majors and dropping classes

because of poor teaching around the N

word the issue of faculty carelessly

speaking the word has reached such a

fevered pitch it's led to protests at

Princeton Emory the new school Smith

College where I teach and Williams

College where just recently students

have boycotted the entire English

department over it and other issues and

these are just the cases that make the

news this is a crisis and while student

reaction looks like an attack on freedom

of speech I promise this is an issue of

T of teaching my students are not afraid

of materials that have the n-word in it

they want to learn about James Baldwin

and William Faulkner and about the civil

rights movement

in fact their stories show that this

word is a central feature of their lives

as young people in the United States

it's in the music they love and in the

popular culture they emulate the comedy

they watch it's in TV and movies and

memorialized in museums they hear it in

locker rooms on Instagram in in the

hallways at school and the chat rooms

are the video games they play it is all

over the world they navigate but they

don't know how to think about it or even

really what the word means I didn't even

really understand what the word meant

until I did some research I was

astonished to learn that black people

first incorporated the N word into the

vocabulary as political protest not in

the 1970s or 1980s but as far back as

the 1770s and I wish I had more time to

talk about the long subversive history

of the black use of the n-word but I

will say this many times my students

will come up to me and say I understand

the virulent roots of this word it's

slavery they're only partially right

this word which existed before it became

a slur but it becomes a slur at a very

distinct moment in US history and that's

as large numbers of black people begin

to become free starting in the north in

the 1820s in other words this word is

fundamentally an assault on black

freedom black mobility and black

aspiration even now nothing so swiftly

unleashes an n-word tirade as a black

person asserting their rights or going

where they pleased or prospering think

of the attacks on Colin Kaepernick when

he kneeled or Barack Obama when he

became president

my students want to know this history

but when they ask questions their shush

and shamed by shying away from talking

about the n-word we have turned this

word into the ultimate taboo crafting it

into something so tantalizing that for

all us kids no matter their racial

background part of their coming-of-age

is figuring out how to negotiate this

word we treat conversations about it

like sex before sex education

we're squeamish we silence them so they

learn about it from misinformed friends

and in whispers I wish I could go back

to the classroom that day and push

through my fear to talk about the fact

that something actually happened not

just to me or to my black students but

to all of us you know I think in we're

all connected by our inability to talk

about this word but what if we explored

our points of encounter and did start to

talk about it today I try to create the

conditions in my classroom to have open

and honest conversations about it one of

those conditions not saying the word

we're able to talk about it because it

doesn't come into the classroom another

important condition is I don't make my

black students responsible for teaching

their classmates about this that is my

job

so I come prepared I hold the

conversation with a tight rein and I'm

armed with knowledge of the history I

always ask students the same question

why is talking about the n-word hard

their answers are amazing they're

amazing

more than anything though I have become

deeply acquainted with my own points of

encounter my personal history around

this word because when the n-word comes

to school or really anywhere

it brings with it all of the complicated

history of us racism the nation's

history and my own right here right now

there's no avoiding it