REBOOT: Teaching the N-word

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Hello friends,

I’m on the road for much of this month, so you’re getting a bonus reboot article.

I was sitting in a beach bar the other day, when all of a sudden some rap music blared over the sound system. Though the person playing the music had attempted to use the non-explicit version, that wasn’t the version I heard. It was pretty uncomfortable hearing the N-word multiple times in succession while surrounded by a crowd largely racialised as white before the song ended and there was blessed silence again.

In that moment I knew that my feelings about the use of the word hadn’t changed, so I thought I’d share this piece again.

Teaching the N-Word

I’m going to be upfront and say that if it were up to me, the n-word would be expunged from every dictionary in every language. I am not interested in using or reclaiming something that was created to demean and oppress my ancestors and is still being used that way. However, I’m not the boss of every person racialised* as Black, and some people feel differently. I have to accept that, however reluctantly.

This came to mind because of an issue that’s surfaced a few times, where teachers are teaching books by Black authors that use the word. In many cases, the teachers read it out and have their students do the same. Often, many of these teachers are racialised as white, with some Black students in the room.

My take: this is NEVER acceptable. That word is inflammatory and hurtful and should never be read out in a classroom. It makes the space inherently unsafe both for Black kids and white kids. If you don’t believe me, try putting yourself in the shoes of kids in the playground when a white kid repeats the word that the teacher has given legitimacy by having it read out - it will NOT go well. Or try being one of the few Black kids in the room getting unwelcome attention as white folks read the word out loud, seemingly with relish. Ugh! [2025 update: I know people who have experienced this, and they confirm that it feels horrible and pointed, so please don’t do it, or let it pass unremarked when others do.]

So does that mean we should ban all books that contain the word?

Not at all. Black authors will use terms that reflect what’s used by or against them - nothing wrong with that. White authors who should probably know better may also use the word - eye roll. And there are some “classics” that are littered with it. By all means teach the books, but you have to do it mindfully, and you don’t need to read the n-word out loud.

Here’s a better approach: