Reading offensive racist term out loud in class because a character uses it in the book - Of Mice and Men

[jewel1968]

Particularly interested in views from English teachers. In my child's school it seems some teachers won't say the word aloud nor will they allow other pupils to say it. Other teachers do say it aloud and this results in the pupils using it as a term of abuse outside the classroom - almost as if saying it aloud in class gives licence to them.

You can probably guess the racist term I am referring to.

I don't read it. I leave a blank space. I work in an overwhelming white school, where normally there are just one or two black students in the room. I would feel extremely uncomfortable saying the word aloud as a white person in front of black students, who might be really upset by it, but unwilling to draw attention to themselves by mentioning it. The impact of the word is still felt because they can see it there on the page.

I am desperately looking for a dyslexic friendly book which has a strong female central character who just happens to be black, ie, comes across issues to do with ethnicity but is a modern forward thinking character with whom my class can identify. I want something about being black in a modern society that doesn't rely on tropes of slavery, drugs, gangs. I found one fantastic book but it is too rude for Year 9! I have a fab Tanya Landman book that I probs will go for but it is historical/slave based but I can do work round that. There just isn't anything like Hunger Games or a rip roaring read with a black central female character. What is sad is when my pupils create a heroine for narrative writing, they are nearly always white - even when written by black or Asian girls. Am addressing this at the moment - hoping my year 8 will be feisty and create kick ass characters with whom they can identify.

@Flyingarcher , I think I saw a useful thread with a list of books on Twitter. Rose Interrupted by Patrice Lawrence, is excellent, but might be too old for your Yr 8s. It's modern, and explores lots of current YA themes, but is not dystopian.

Interesting as my boy cane home from school today and told me the book contained the word. I said it was if it’s time, and then we got distracted.

He’s twelve

@Onceuponatimethen

I think teacher should read those passages aloud. Not pupils

I think teacher should explain before hand how wrong this is and why we are still reading it aloud - to expose racism for the evil it is.

I think it is really important to critique in advance as otherwise the unchallenged repetition can legitimise it. I would feel incredibly uncomfortable to hear a passage using ‘Yid’ etc read out - I’m Jewish

I agree with this. Words like this are jarring to hear aloud, but it is important I think in the correct context.

I’m not a big fan of replacing or editing out words of classic literature. For example Enid Blyton and her use of gollywog or Fanny.

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo would be great for a Year 9 group @Flyingarcher. It's a verse novel so maybe dyslexia-friendly as the page is less 'full' and it moves quickly. It's very readable and is quite brilliant!!

Whenever I have taught the book, I have always discussed the use of the word, it’s origins and why it is so awful before we get to it in the text. We talk about why no one should use the word except in my classroom and only then when we are discussing the theme. I have never come across pupils disobeying this. They have always been respectful of its use and shown great maturity. I have taught in tough state comps and a small indie - the response from the pupils was always the same.

I think my boy was intrigued as the word is also used in a lot of music now

Mostly in music of black origin, at a guess. Because the black community is reclaiming the word and the meaning is ameliorating in specific contexts. It's how language has always worked - and one of the fruitful ways to discuss it.

@Ericaequites

If you are only going to read one American novel in school, it should not be Of Mice and Men or To Kill a Mockingbird . Why not Steinbeck's Travels with Charley or A Great Gatsby?

So when do children study books where important issues covered in both books are covered? To Kill a Mockingbird was the only book that had a non-white character that we studied at school. Of Mice and Men was the only book that specifically had a disabled character. It was incredibly important for me growing up with a brother who had moderate to severe learning difficulties that we read a book I could relate to in some ways.

@jewel1968 I refuse to say the word, not an English teacher my school does reading every morning where we all read a book together. I do use it as a moment to talk to the children and teach them the background and the hurt it still causes. It’s prompted some very interesting discussions, which has lead to open conversation from children who’ve in the past been told to get over it (receiving racial abuse) and those that have never experienced have listen, I can’t say they understood...