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How should a history teacher handle the "N" word?

colton said:
There's a HUGE difference between allowing students to read something, and REQUIRING them to read something. Those were all in my school library. Huck Finn was REQUIRED, and contains the n-word. It was not required of 8th graders, it was required of 11th or 12th graders (can't recall which). Our teacher told us why he was requiring it, and warned us that the n-word was used, much like it sounds like this junior high teacher did. The difference is age and maturity of the students, 8th graders compared to 11th or 12th graders.

Jumping from my opinion that a movie with the n-word not be REQUIRED of 8th graders, to a suggestion that I'm in favor of banning all books for all students, is despicable.
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I feel like I'm piling on. You're a good guy Colton. But you're completely in the dark.

The state of Utah has a requirement for educators to provide parents with a list of movies they are going to show that are above a G rating. Teachers will then include this list and permission slip typically at the start of the year usually in their disclosure.

Students who don't Return this slip cannot legally watch these movies. Alt assignments are then Provided.

Legally, teachers in k-12 cannot require students to watch any movie that their parent/child objects to.

Rated R movies are forbidden, regardless of permission slips.

So clearly, this was the PG version and most likely this veteran teachers got the required permission slips.

If this parent/student had an objection about the movie, discussion, or assignment, they could have requested an alt assignment. No teacher would object to giving a student a textbook assignment in the library rather than having their name dragged through the mud for $30k.
 
#bern said:
I take it you've never conversed with Thriller before.
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Get your facts straight about k-12 education in Utah before you debate with me. If you feel like the policy I've stated is wrong, inform me. But if ad hominem attacks are all you can use, then you've already lost.
 
The Thriller said:
You would be hard pressed to find a middle school in Utah that doesn't have the PG version of this movie. Clearly, this was the version he was showing, not the rated R.
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Clearly? So you're saying it was rated PG despite having the word ****** in it? And that's clear to you?
 
The Thriller said:
I feel like I'm piling on. You're a good guy Colton. But you're completely in the dark.

The state of Utah has a requirement for educators to provide parents with a list of movies they are going to show that are above a G rating. Teachers will then include this list and permission slip typically at the start of the year usually in their disclosure.

Students who don't Return this slip cannot legally watch these movies. Alt assignments are then Provided.

Legally, teachers in k-12 cannot require students to watch any movie that their parent/child objects to.

Rated R movies are forbidden, regardless of permission slips.

So clearly, this was the PG version and most likely this veteran teachers got the required permission slips.

If this parent/student had an objection about the movie, discussion, or assignment, they could have requested an alt assignment. No teacher would object to giving a student a textbook assignment in the library rather than having their name dragged through the mud for $30k.
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Teachers don't mess around when it comes to those disclosures haha
 
tfivas said:
Teachers don't mess around when it comes to those disclosures haha
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They don't. All middle schools that I've worked in (3 districts) require the disclosures to be over viewed and approved by dept heads and administrators.

Movie listings are part of these. In fact, I don't know of a single teacher who doesn't have a movie list. From health to social studies.
 
Cunning Linguist said:
Clearly? So you're saying it was rated PG despite having the word ****** in it? And that's clear to you?
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Pepsi Cola donated thousands of copies of this movie edited for k-12 education. All districts in Utah have access to this movie and all schools that I've worked with have had a copy specifically to be used in 8th grade.

You're free to believe that this teacher and elected school board member broke Utah law and showed an unauthorized R rated version of this movie. Which would easily result in stiff disciplinary action from his school (possible termination) and possible loss of his elected position on the board.

Or, you can believe that he used one of the thousands of edited copies donated to his district/school.

Care to place some money on which one of us is right?
 
https://www.standard.net/State/2016...ially-charged-word?printFriendly=201605041547

Difficult to edit for readability and quote on my phone.

So basically he violated two policies:

* He used the n word
* he didn't include the movie on his movie list. A surprising oversight I'll admit. But certainly nothing worthy of termination.
* He had a confederate flag up last year. But had to take it down. Unbelievable. What other possible setting should you have that flag up? When I taught us history I put on display the old Japanese empire flag, the Soviet Union flag, and the Nazi flag on display during our WWII and Cold War units. Should I have gotten in trouble? It's a prop. It's educational. It's part of education.

But

* The movie is the edited version donated by Pepsi cola. It's the school's copy.
* The movie has been approved by the district
* the movie uses the n word... Like a lot. The violence is edited. But the n word isn't because this is like supposed to be educational or something. Crazy.
* mommy still thinks her son was subjected to the R rated version. Despite what the school's investigation found. Cuz you know, parents know best.
* mommy wants the teacher fired
* mommy says the student doesn't feel safe at school.
* the school gave him a slap on the wrist because this is bs and that his lawyers would have a field day with this long and expensive litigation if he pressed charges.

Like everything in our educational system here in conservative states. We bitch about how little people know about our country, history, etc. we will approve of movies for kids to watch. But Heaven forbid they learn anything.

The district approved and owns a copy of a movie that uses the n word... A lot. But heaven forbid the teacher explain what that word means.

So typical of regressive red states.

We hate abortion and teen pregnancy! But heaven forbid you ever teach sex education!
 
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In all seriousness, how many of you would've been offended by me having those flags placed on a table as props during those units? I never thought that people might be offended by them. It's not like they were flown or pledged to. They were used as props. The days I had the Nazi flag out it was used as part table cloth for the WWII and holocaust books I had on the table for the students to see and even check out if desired.

I thought I was being a good educator, not a selfish racist trying to make kids feel Uncomfortable.

That year I blocked the windows out and set up a holocaust museum. For a day the students received a profile and walked through the classroom learning about the holocaust and a victim. Essentially the same thing you'd do at the holocaust museum in LA or DC.

Several teachers from other departments came up and brought their kids through it. A few said that we should put that display up in the school sometime for all kids to go through. Like during tolerance week or something. I also had the Soviet flag and pics of Kruchev and Kennedy for the Cuban middle crisis.

Here I thought I was just giving he kids a good educational experience. Apparently not.

I guess we could just read out of a textbook next time or something. Which is probably what this 8th grade teacher will probably do next year. Here kids. Read 5 pages on the civil war. Boom. Now you're educated.

Murika
 
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The Thriller said:
Get your facts straight about k-12 education in Utah before you debate with me. If you feel like the policy I've stated is wrong, inform me. But if ad hominem attacks are all you can use, then you've already lost.
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My comment was about you in general, not on this topic. I didn't expect you to pick up on that though.
 
The Thriller said:
They don't. All middle schools that I've worked in (3 districts) require the disclosures to be over viewed and approved by dept heads and administrators.

Movie listings are part of these. In fact, I don't know of a single teacher who doesn't have a movie list. From health to social studies.
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No doubt, that's all the first week of school was for me every year.
 
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