Parents try to fire teacher for assigning "niggardly" as a vocabulary word

The Wilmington Star ^ | Sept 1, 2002 | Sherry Jones

[gitmo]

I thought a former president ruled this wasn't sexual.

[neutrino]

Please tell me again how the schools are supposed to educate, given this environment.

While we're at it, I wonder what this particular teacher's solution will be. Will she continue to fight parental stupidity and organizational cowardice, or will she shrug, decide it all counts for 20, and stick to teaching the spelling of the word "cat".

[gitmo]

Nasty little dogs, right?

[gitmo]

Dr Laura weighed in on this incident. Click here

[aruanan]

Although the word means stingy, Akwana Walker said it was inappropriate to use it because it sounds similar to a racial slur.

Yeah, "Akwana", and "duck" is 75% obscene. Akwana should be beaten senseless with a dictionary. But then, given her home environment (parents who would name their daughter "Akwana"--though maybe this moniker is something she has assumed all on her own--which would explain a lot), I guess we can't expect to her to have much insight into English vocabulary.

[aruanan]

Don't forget that "picnic" is also being pursued to that final clearing by the baying hounds of PC ignorance.

[sam_paine]

Also on the P.C. chopping-block:

"Jew Fish"

"SaurKRAUT"

"Spic and Span"

DON'T FORGET "CHEESE NIPS"

[Pablo64]

"Spic and Span"

Hey! Who're you calling a Span?!? ;-)

[gitmo]

Although the word means stingy, Akwana Walker said it was inappropriate to use it because it sounds similar to a racial slur.

Either that, or we should allow the racial slur because it sounds like a legitimate word that means stingy.

[aruanan]

Good point.

[Lee'sGhost]

"She has already sent home letters of apology with her students, as her principal instructed."

AAaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!! Jeezz, Loueeeezzzzz!

Dear Parent, I apologize for daring to use a perfectly ligitimate word during the age of Political Correctness. It is a shame that I must send you this letter because one parent is so niggardly with common sense.

[RightWinger]

Yeah, we need to get rid of all of the words that might upset ignorant morons.

[Darnright]

"I wouldn't use the world niggardly to describe anyone today anymore than I would use the word, "gay" to refer to someone as "happy". Language does change, although an educated person would want to know the previous way a word was used.

Ok, I'll give you that. "Gay" has been effectively tarred with a meaning other than "happy", and "carefree", sad to say. I prefer the word "cheap", to refer to those of niggardly persuasions. However, as a parent, I am outraged that a teacher has been treated in such a manner simply for trying to teach a bunch of kids the innocence of the word "niggardly".

A few years back, I was in the wine department of a store. In front of me, two ladies of color were fussing to each other how offended they were by the name of a wine.

Yep, they wanted the brand "Cordon Negro" changed to something less racist.

[OldBlondBabe]

"My mother taught HS for many years. Once she had a student whose first name was "FEMALE", pronounced "feh-MA-lee". I am not kiddding."

Makes me think of this:

http://review.mondominishows.com/minibytes/shirley.html

[Bernard]

We heard from one father of a child in the class. What does Gabrielle's father have to say? I didn't see him quoted in this story.

[norton]

Congratulations on your attempt at turning a bigoted imbicile into a virtuous champion of youth.

[Snowy]

Who keeps faggots on their porch in the winter? I do.

[Lancey Howard]

Congratulations on your attempt at turning a bigoted imbicile into a virtuous champion of youth.

What? I never said this teacher was a "virtuous champion of youth". As a matter of fact, I said she is as big an imbecile as the parent, maybe a bigger imbecile, for not anticipating what an imbecile the parent was. Something like that. Did you post to the wrong party?

[secretagent]

...by calling undue attention to words that even SOUND like the dreaded "N" word...

Please, show more sensitivity. " 'N' word" now approaches the original (very bad word) in offensiveness.

You may use "the letter after M word".

[goodieD]

darnit! This is the 5th time I've been sent back for re-edumacation/sensimativity training!