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Ben Franklin students confront racial slur by teacher
NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune ^ | 5/4/17 | Danielle Dreilinger, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune

Posted on 05/04/2017 5:14:57 PM PDT by BBell

Students at Louisiana's top public high school rushed to respond after a teacher used a racial epithet in class Thursday (May 4).

Ben Franklin High Principal Patrick Widhalm confirmed the authenticity of several videos that students posted on social media. In them, a white teacher told a black student it was OK for the teacher to use what is universally considered the most offensive slur against African-Americans.

The teacher is a permanent substitute and was not on campus as of 3:30 p.m., Widhalm said. The school is investigating, which will take several days, and will take appropriate action, he said.

According to the video (Warning: the video linked here contains profanity and racial slurs), the teacher said the slur was "a commoditized word" that had been used so many times it no longer held its original meaning. "It's used by everyone," he said.

Ninety seconds later, the teacher contradicted himself twice over. "Nobody uses that word," he said, according the video, and proceeded to use it. He then reprimanded the student, saying, "You cannot go through life and act like a word can affect you."

The exchange infuriated the Franklin student, who cursed repeatedly. "Why can't you understand that ---- is racist for a white man to say to a black man?" he said in the video.

Several students identified the teacher on social media as Coach Ryan. Widhalm would not confirm that but said the school does have a full-time employee by that name. NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune has reached out to that employee, who did not immediately respond for comment.

After class, students came to the principal's office intending to stage a sit-in. That turned into an impromptu, hourlong assembly in the auditorium, Widhalm said.

Students from various backgrounds had "a very good dialogue about the difficulties and the issues

(Excerpt) Read more at nola.com ...


TOPICS: Society
KEYWORDS: benfranklin; racialslur; students; teacher
the teacher said the slur was "a commoditized word" that had been used so many times it no longer held its original meaning.

Although the teacher should have known better than to utter the 'N' word I agree with what he said about the word. I hear white kids call each other this word all the time.

1 posted on 05/04/2017 5:14:57 PM PDT by BBell
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To: BBell
Just say he was composing a rap song and he will be fine.

Word to your mother

2 posted on 05/04/2017 5:16:22 PM PDT by Mad Dawgg (If you're going to deny my 1st Amendment rights then I must proceed to the 2nd one...)
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To: BBell

I’ve seen this TV episode.


3 posted on 05/04/2017 5:16:33 PM PDT by jimfree (My16 y/o granddaughter continues to have more quality exec experience than an 8 year Obama.)
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To: BBell

Until the OJ Simpson trial, the N word would be freely identified in news reports. Then they started treating it as an unusable obcenity. I’m just guessing these students got the teacher into some discussion then taped him out of context. Otherwise why were phones recording?


4 posted on 05/04/2017 5:35:44 PM PDT by Williams (Stop tolerating the intolerant.)
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To: BBell
"Why can't you understand that ---- is racist for a white man to say to a black man?"

The idea that whites can't use the same word blacks are allowed to use is also racist.

5 posted on 05/04/2017 5:36:36 PM PDT by BykrBayb (Lung cancer free since 11/9/07. Colon cancer free since 7/7/15. Obama free since 1/20/17. PTL ~ Þ)
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To: BBell

The word is a trap for Whitey. If he says it he’s fired and arrested. The other day I was next to a car with the n word blasting out the window. The driver was someone who’s allowed to say it.


6 posted on 05/04/2017 5:44:46 PM PDT by I want the USA back (Liberalism is the denial of human nature.)
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To: BykrBayb
The idea that whites can't use the same word blacks are allowed to use is also racist.

I had to strike the word "also." I should have watched the video before posting. The teacher didn't say anything racist. The student did though.

7 posted on 05/04/2017 5:48:55 PM PDT by BykrBayb (Lung cancer free since 11/9/07. Colon cancer free since 7/7/15. Obama free since 1/20/17. PTL ~ Þ)
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To: BBell

I have four black adopted kids. When they were young we discussed all sorts of slurs. We said and spoke all the words and I told them that if someone calls them any offensive words that it would tell them a lot about the person that said them, however it has nothing to do with who they are and how to react to it.

Years later one of them called me at home. She had been called the “special word” by someone in her work setting which was in a busy public place.

She dealt with the customer, and the managers and others in the store went all drama. After about five minutes, she said, for Pete’s sake, it is over, I dealt with it, and the “special word” is no big deal. She was pleased that she had the ability not to be determined by words. She told me that.

I date “snowflakes from the time that the “special word” could not be uttered aloud in mixed race company.


8 posted on 05/04/2017 5:49:34 PM PDT by Chickensoup (Leftists today are speaking as if they plan to commence to commit genocide against conservatives.)
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To: jimfree

Remember Dr. “Spearchucker Jones” in MASH the movie?


9 posted on 05/04/2017 6:33:04 PM PDT by tumblindice ("Fight for your country." Hector)
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To: BBell

(Now some modulator is twisting his/her hair: ‘Should I delete that?’ The problem, therein.)


10 posted on 05/04/2017 6:35:19 PM PDT by tumblindice ("Fight for your country." Hector)
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To: BBell
So, for a white person to use the n-word in a civil discussion that is specifically about that word, and is clearly not intended to be insulting, constitutes using the word as a racist insult.

Got it.

11 posted on 05/04/2017 6:40:30 PM PDT by TChad (Propagandists should not be treated like journalists.)
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To: BBell
This calls for Joe Petto

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLZA32oHbC4


12 posted on 05/04/2017 9:30:58 PM PDT by Organic Panic (Flinging poo is not a valid argument)
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To: tumblindice

Absolutely. The movie was in 1970 with the M.A.S.H. series beginning shortly thereafter. The first book was published in 1968, nearly half a century ago. The books and movie were so non-PC that they would chill the SJW of today to the bone. Now the Left burns words and controls the use of others, having totally lost its senses of humor and perspective and surrendered all moral standing. Sad.


13 posted on 05/04/2017 9:44:45 PM PDT by jimfree (My16 y/o granddaughter continues to have more quality exec experience than an 8 year Obama.)
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To: tumblindice
I don't know if the early episodes of MASH still run with "Spearchucker" Jones

I'd wager they are not.

When I was in college in the '80s they still showed those episodes, and a friend commented: "Hey, It's spearchucker!".

I wasn't familiar with MASH at the time, so I didn't know who the character was.

But I DID notice that MASH had very few black characters.

AFAIK, "spearchucker" was a respected surgeon, by everyone, and it apparently referred to his prowess as a college QB.

I do not buy that explanation.

I think in the early '50s, when the series was set that it was just considered an "acceptable" nickname.

Even liberals like Alan Alda and Wayne Rogers used it freely in 1972.

14 posted on 05/05/2017 12:23:21 AM PDT by boop ("I don't know"- Jeff Spicoli)
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To: boop
AFAIK, "spearchucker" was a respected surgeon, by everyone, and it apparently referred to his prowess as a college QB.

To pick a nit, no: he said in the film (in response to an admirably direct question about the nickname's origin), "I used to throw the javelin."

15 posted on 05/05/2017 7:07:12 PM PDT by pogo101
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To: pogo101
I'll accept that, as I don't recall that exchange.

I still think that the nickname was perjorative, even in the early '50s.

But like everything else in that period, he probably didn't really take offense to it.

I imagine he thought it was funny and didn't get riled up about it.

I mean EVERYONE had a nickname. Hawkeye, Trapper, etc.

It's like being in the Mafia. You haven't made it until you have some moniker like "The Chin", Johnny two-times", The Plunge", "Joe Bananas", you name it.

16 posted on 05/12/2017 7:14:41 PM PDT by boop ("I don't know"- Jeff Spicoli)
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