Elementry Teacher uses the N-Word in Class

This is an article that i found to be ridiculous from a town near me. (keep in mind that is town has a population of around 500 people.)

MADISON - A Madison Elementary schoolteacher used the "N-word" in class.

Barb Warn reportedly used the "N-word" during a class discussion about Martin Luther King Jr. and John F. Kennedy. According to one of the students, Warn made the remark and proceeded to write it on the board. The students then copied the line into their journals.

Some Madison parents who spoke with KOMU were upset and say they spoke to school board members. Some say they think the solution is simple.

"I think she should be fired. You know, there's a little mixed girl in there and she's probably seven or eight years old. How did that make her feel," asked concerned grandmother Jackie Hendren. "You know, she's half black. And this is the 20th century. Why would anybody use that word? Especially a teacher."

Warn has since issued an apology for her remarks. Madison Superintendent Fred Weibling made no official comment, but says the district takes such matters very seriously. KOMU spoke to a lawyer whose goal was for Warn to resign immediately. There is no word yet on if she will. Click on the "Related Links" section to read Warn's letter.

I found myself to be dumbfounded to find this...I understand why the parents are upset with the teacher but to go and inform the press is ridiculous. In my opinion I think that the teacher should be punished but she shouldn't loose her job over it. It is just a word but if "Jackie Hendren" was so offended by the word then she is being a hypercritical by saying "You know, there's a little mixed girl in there" in my opinion i think saying that is just as bad.
I can go on and on with this but I want to know your opinion.

Firstly the word itself has alot of history in it, what the teacher made was bad... people will forever be offended when a 'wrong' colour utters it... but again we need to distinguish and punish a person's connotation of the word rather than uttering the word itself

"but again we need to distinguish and punish a person's connotation of the word rather than uttering the word itself"

exactly that.

Woah, that's not cool. People who use the N-word get stiches =(

No it is used by many brotha's... as a way to take back the word from the white man...

but many people use the word ending with an 'a' as a term of endearment... again it all depends on context

Illumanati: Do you think your clients would say the word in a professional setting?

This reminds me of my grandma. she has used this word multiple times. i guess it kinda depends on where the teacher was raised, because my grandma was in the south during the civil rights movement. that doesn't make it right, or any less offensive, but some people dont understand that that word really hurts people.

hopefully the teacher gets what she deserves

I'm not saying that what the teacher did wasn't wrong but there are kids in the hallways at schools who call eacother that all the time..I just don't get it

it's kinda like how when white people slam black people it's a huge issue about "you're racist" yet when blacks slam whites no one cares?

Well, regardless of whether she was teaching history honestly, it is wrong to use that word. my teacher used that word a few times, but only when quoting what some people said then.

i guess you just have to know the reason behind her doing so to know whether it was ok or not...idk.

This is a little up date on the situation. The teacher wrote this letter apology in the aftermath.

http://www.komu.com/KOMU/Other/2008January28070738/ccff3464-80ce-0971-0028-e4e29241a70b.pdf

I was finishing up my grade 12 this summer and in English we were reading "In The Heat of The Night" That word is in the book, we read aloud, chapter by chapter, would it be offensive in this setting?

Repost

I think people are just looking for a reason to complain and show their ass honestly.

If you wanted to, anyone could be offended by anything, no matter how insignificant or stupid, and make a scene of it. And because of that, people take advantage of it.

Where there's the ability to criticize, there's the possibility of power. People want power, so they criticize relentlessly, but instead of criticizing more constructive things (like, idk, government?), they choose to make change over simple words or lack of.

The way I see it, so what? So what if people use the word. Black or white, what are we going to do? We can't ban a word, we'd just be putting yet another double standard on our first amendment rights. And honestly, I think beating the crap out of someone over a word is just plain stupid. Actually, beyond standard idiocy.

Sure, the teacher was out of place for using it, but the parents are JUST as wrong for making a giant deal out of it. While the press is preoccupied with yet another story about a teacher abusing their position, more important issues are being overlooked. But like I said, what can you do?

I disagree with the word, I really do, but just because I disagree with it doesn't mean its going to disappear. I disagree with wasabi peas in my shrimp fried rice, and I don't see them disappearing.

Oh well, Im done ranting. I tend to get bothered by stuff like this, just one more of those things in society that get my blood pumping.