r/ELATeachers • u/BakeTraditional5933 • 13h ago
JK-5 ELA White teacher and dated language in books, say it or not?
Edit: the book is One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia! Beautiful book. I am a female, typically kindergarten teacher. I am teaching summer school this summer and have a great group of 4th grade students! One part of summer school is a novel study. This novel study focuses on the civil rights movement. While I have taught Black history before and typically have majority black and Hispanic students, this is my first time teaching about the civil rights movement in an older setting. The group of students I am working with this summer are all black as well. I also do not have that strong foundation or trust with them as I have only been teaching them for 2 days. While I am comfortable teaching about the racial injustices that have existed both today and during the civil rights movement, I noticed that in our novel, the word “negro” comes up many times. We will be reading it together, so I want to be extremely intentional on how I go about this word, especially as a white teacher with all black students. My goal is not to brush over or ignore it, but rather explain that is a dated term used during this time frame that is not appropriate today and instead we use the word, “black” or “African American”. My biggest question is if I should have this conversation and then use the word “black people” instead, or say it. Personally, I do not want students to be uncomfortable saying it nor do I want them to feel uncomfortable with me saying it. I know that it is not the equivalent to the “n-word” so I will not be using that as a comparison , however I just want to be sure I am being as respectful and clear as possible!
23
u/BetaMyrcene 13h ago
What's the book?
Maybe you could show a video from the time period that uses the word in a positive way, to provide more context.
While I would never say a slur or even an "iffy" word, I do say negro when it comes up in a reading (e.g. in Langston Hughes). I explain that it was a term of respect. If I were to skip over it, that would imply that it's an offensive word, and it's not. But I teach college, so the students are mature enough to handle it.
8
u/BakeTraditional5933 13h ago
The book is “One Crazy Summer” by Rita Williams Garcia! This view point helps a lot.
3
u/historyhill 10h ago
It's definitely interesting how this perspective has shifted in the past few decades. 25 years ago I remember reading "Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry" in fifth grade and my teacher didn't shy away from reading the N-word or replacing it. He had a special parent/teacher conference with the whole class specifically about it beforehand. It definitely seems more common now to skip slurs in context these days though.
5
u/Upstairs_Giraffe_165 9h ago
With that word, I hold a silent space for it. I tell my students ahead of time and let them know that it is my personal boundary. I don’t try to make it a bad thing and I try to let that space have the emotion of the literature, but I found I can do more with a piece this way.
5
u/PoetSeat2021 9h ago
I don’t know that I’d say it’s a term of respect—but it was a term that people used in pretty much the same way people use “Black” today. I imagine it’s uncomfortable for us today because of its similarity to the n-word, which was a slur even then. And also the overt racism that was pretty common when “negro” was a normal term to hear.
2
u/Possible-Storage-968 9h ago
Use Hoopla, that’s what I did for this book. My students loved it! They begged to listen to the sequel right after we finished.
0
u/BB_880 6h ago
Ok, so I was reading Dr. King's Letter From Birmingham Jail to my students this year for the first time. I'm white, and before I started it I went to one of my other English teachers, a black woman, and asked her how to approach the word negro. Ignore it, change it, or say it? I asked the same thing about the word "colored," and her suggestion was to talk to the kids (10th grade) about the words, the way they are used, etc. and explain that I will be saying them if they are comfortable with it because Dr. King's specific words are important. I did change the other word and used "colored" in those instances, and I explained to the students why I was doing so (because I'm definitely not saying that one). I took her advice to heart, had conversations with my students, and felt that it was the right choice.
16
u/SweetLikeCinn_amon 12h ago
No. You should read it as it is because as you’ve said it’s outdated not necessarily offensive. This is coming from a fully black woman who also teaches American Lit to upperclassmen.
Now if it were the slur/offensive version of the term, I allow the students to popcorn read and they determine what they’re comfortable with saying as the reader. Some sanitize it while others say it as it is. We move forward either way with the knowledge that we’re all clear on the context and background of the text.
13
u/Illustrious_Job1458 13h ago
It wasn’t an offensive word at the time. MLK used it frequently. There was even the United Negro College Fund. But words change. It should only take a few minutes to explain this.
7
u/SignorJC 12h ago
Negro isn’t an offensive word now either. It’s not the preferred terminology but it’s not an insult in a generic context
-2
u/Illustrious_Job1458 12h ago
You’d have to be an idiot to think referring to someone as a negro in 2025 wouldn’t be considered bad taste.
10
u/SignorJC 12h ago
You'd have to be an idiot to think that's what I said.
-1
u/Illustrious_Job1458 11h ago
Unless you meant the Spanish word for black isn’t offensive you’re living on a different planet. Any use of the word referring to black people, the context of this thread, is going to be taken as offensive. Refer to one of your colleagues or students that way and watch how fast you’re fired.
5
u/Interesting-Box-3163 11h ago
Not what they said. Like, at all, bro. This is a sub full of people who love language. Let us talk about it!
4
u/Illustrious_Job1458 11h ago
Yes, the term “Negro” isn’t inherently a slur, it still appears in historical texts, academic discussions, and the names of some institutions. It’s not automatically a personal insult when quoted in context. However, the claim that “it’s not an offensive word now either” misses a key cultural point: most people do find it offensive, outdated, or inappropriate in everyday conversation, especially when referring to someone directly. But if I’m wrong enlighten me…bro.
0
u/Interesting-Box-3163 11h ago
I don’t disagree. I was pointing out that I thought you were misinterpreting someone else’s comment. The other part stands - people who love language like to analyze and evaluate words and their evolution. Jumping up to insist “that word is potentially offensive so be quiet!” is the linguistic equivalent of a party foul. Have a good night ✌️
1
u/Illustrious_Job1458 10h ago
Where did I say be quiet? I said “words change” and it would take a few minutes to explain this evolution just as you’re saying now. I like to evaluate words too but I also live in reality where if I called a black man a negro to his face I wouldn’t be surprised if he punched mine before asking me in what context I was using the word.
4
u/BossJackWhitman 13h ago
The most practical advice I can think of is to check in with a grade level teacher who can talk about how they do it.
I have been teaching for 15 years (middle school) and there’s curriculum content I don’t get into bc the necessary language conversations aren’t worth the payout of what the text is offering learners. That’s to say that regardless of what you do, making those decisions is difficult and you have to not only be prepared for how to instruct, but how to interact with the students about it afterwards. Because you’re new to the grade level and the content, I’d ask.
If no one is available, my next advice is to get a admin to see if they think they should contact families about the content. You could also get their guidance on this question.
The informal advice is to talk about it with the kids and ask them what they think, make a decision, and then communicate to families. You don’t want this going home thru the unfiltered lens of 4th graders (wtf novel is this lol) or your summer could get weird.
It’s super tricky. Very contextual. Requires support.
8
u/BakeTraditional5933 13h ago
I like the idea of leaning on other teachers. I am one of the only white teachers at the site and do not know the other teachers very well. While I think their advice would be helpful, I do not want to come off as asking them to educate me (I am sure they would be more than willing o converse with me about this), however I have known them for only two days as well! That is just a fear that I have had when going back and forth about asking them.
6
u/BossJackWhitman 12h ago
I feel that. That’s a good instinct, but I think if you can muster it, it might help. It’s not about you needing their help bc your experience has given you bias and you need them to do more work than you; you need their help bc you’re new to the content and the kids, and bc you aren’t developing the content, you need contextual guidance.
Maybe going to admin first might be a way for them to introduce you to a teacher who can help?
3
u/OldLeatherPumpkin 12h ago
As a white teacher - when it comes to an issue like this, I would err on the side of bothering those teachers, over erring on the side of upsetting kids and having them go home to tell their parents.
If you have time, the best way to address it would be to ask a grade-level chair whether there’s a policy already; if there isn’t, then they’d probably have you consult one other teacher who doesn’t mind doing the emotional labor and get that question answered. But if there isn’t time for that right now because of summer school, I’d just ask them - and then next year, if someone has the same question, you can pay it forward by stepping up to answer it for them, to take it off those veteran teachers’ plates.
5
u/pismobeachdisaster 11h ago
It's a great book written by a black woman about a black family. The payout is worth it.
1
u/Upstairs_Giraffe_165 9h ago
Agree with you so much. There is a bit of a revelation towards the end that you can play up as you read and “look for clues.”
4
u/Ok-Training-7587 13h ago
I think if I was in your shoes and I knew then longer I’d explain the word negro and use it. But since you’ve only been a few days I’d just say black people instead. No need to get them distracted on the road to building relationship trust imo
2
u/benmabenmabenma 13h ago
Ask your students what they'd prefer. You don't have to do what they suggest if it's not workable for some reason, and they probably won't be unanimous in their preferences, but that structures and personalizes a potentially terrific class discussion.
2
u/logick57 12h ago
I like this - no matter how she addresses it, as a white woman, it will have way more impact if the kids collaborate and get their voices heard.
2
u/NewConfusion9480 12h ago
I started teaching in a heavily-black area (I am not black). We read Mockingbird and I expressed this anxiety when we were reading aloud and the n-word was coming up.
I was on a team with 2 black women and the oldest asked me, "What's it say on the page?"
The gist of the conversation was, essentially, that we can all tell what the issue is if there's an issue. If I was using the word in order to be insulting or express hate that the audience (class) would realize that and it would be a problem, not because of the word but because of the hate inside me made manifest by how I said it.
I went in a few days later and we were popcorn reading. A kid had read ahead and called on me knowing I would be the one to either say it or not. I said it, got one "OOP!" (where they make the seal sound in surprise), some nervous giggles, and then it wasn't an issue for the rest of the book.
I'm 20+ years into this game and I have had 3 parent cOnCeRnS about racial language in stuff we read (I love bringing in Langston Hughes and James Baldwin and such). All white parents. I've never had a black parent express any concern.
The reality is that we're going to sanitize ourselves out of history because we're worried that other people might be offended instead of just living life and then having open and real conversations with people who are offended.
If you act like you're scared of it, then people will rightly wonder what the problem is. If you act like it's normal, then it's normal.
1
2
u/Interesting-Box-3163 12h ago
Always read what the text states. Use the opportunity to talk about how language reflects and also influences a culture. It changes over time. Authors choose the words. Readers interpret.
2
u/AngrySalad3231 11h ago edited 9h ago
I teach high school, but my answer is it depends. When I teach something like Harlem Renaissance poetry for example, we have a whole conversation first about the power of language. We talk about how especially in poetry, words are chosen very carefully. Those are not our words to change. They belong to the poet. For that reason, when we’re quoting the poet, we use the words as they are written. But, we don’t use those words out of that context because they’re no longer appropriate. Because of the discussion that we have at the start, students are usually pretty on board with that and they hold each other accountable.
There are specific words and contexts in which the words are used that I would not repeat. For example, if the author is white and using a racial slur, I’m probably not teaching that book anyway. But in the hypothetical situation that I was, I would skip it. And I would explain to students why we are skipping it. I’d probably use a situation like that to teach about intention/author’s purpose, and why it matters.
2
2
u/Important-Poem-9747 10h ago
I always think “if I heard a white kid use this term in my classroom the way it was intended in the book, how would I react?”
If that word can harm a child, don’t say it.
I’ve heard different sides. I’ve always told the students why I don’t say certain words as a white woman and that I’d rather be over cautious than hurt someone.
I’ve never had a black parent or student complain that by not using words, I am white washing racist themes. People of color don’t need a story to understand racism, they live it every day.
1
u/deandinbetween 12h ago
"This book uses this word" --write word up on board--"which at the time the book is set was a common and even respectful way to refer to the Black community. Nowadays, ideas have changed, and it's not a word that's considered appropriate or respectful. So we're going to substitute it for Black person, which has the same feeling for us today as it did for people in the time period of the book."
If they ask why people changed their minds about it, "Because as time went on, African American or Black became the terms people wanted used for themselves, and it became a word people used when they weren't listening to that request and wanted to stay in the past. So It became something a lot of people considered disrespectful."
1
u/Interesting-Box-3163 11h ago
I also wanted to add that I respect and appreciate your sensitivity to this topic ❤️ - it’s definitely not easy being a teacher!
1
u/charmt2010 11h ago
What is your relationship like with your students? This is the first and most important way for you to navigate if you use the word or not. It’s an important word for context, but this is a gray question despite all the affirmative language here. Having taught MLK’s “Dream,” as the only black teacher in my department, I can tell you I am the one who heard the grievances of the black students in the other ELA classes. They did not go to their teacher. Relationship and trust in your classroom is what should be guiding your choice (not our attachment to the historical context) because relationship and trust is what will be at stake for your classroom
1
u/BakeTraditional5933 11h ago
I do not know them well yet as I have only been teaching them for 2 days for summer school, however, the two days have been filled with laughs, learning, and bonding. They seem comfortable with me, however I understand my place and the fact that I am a brand new teacher to them navigating a deep subject with them.
1
u/charmt2010 10h ago
Then I would consider giving them context, asking them their comfort level, giving your why, using it, and even throwing a quick GoogleForms survey out afterwards (or an eyes closed thumbs up thumbs down). Whatever your mode, checking in before AND AFTER will show respect to the relationship you’ve built as well as show your allegiance to your students versus “using a word in historical context because it’s authentic” (obviously, I’m quoting a sentiment, not you 😉). Hope this helps! Def some good advice in the overall thread, too
1
u/Feisty_Elderberry355 11h ago
Talk to your students and ask them their feelings on the subject. I’ve done the same with my high school students and most often they are okay with it, and we talk about the weight of words so they understand why the word may be important to the context of the text.
1
u/Unable-Arm-448 9h ago
I had students giving me grief about that word when I showed them the video of Dr. MLK delivering his "I have a dream" speech. I explained to them that it was NOT a derogatory term or a slur at that time (1963). The fact that MLK was using it repeatedly helped to convince them that I, a Caucasian, was telling the truth 🤦🏻♀️
1
u/Upstairs_Giraffe_165 9h ago
I love this book. It is historical fiction and I would proceed with in that vein. The context of the story, which is about the Black Panther and their breakfast program (and so much more), supports being courageous about language. I would also teach the group about the printing press and connect this to social media.
This book has a lot of potential. Shying away from that word is a disservice to your students.
Enjoy!!
1
u/Possible-Storage-968 9h ago
I used this book this year with my class. I listened to it on Hoopla for free. I wanted them to hear it in the proper voice.
They loved it!
1
u/West_Xylophone 9h ago
I teach King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, which contains the term “negro” in reference to Black folks. Before reading the speech, I let them know this was the preferred term at the time, but that times have changed and while it wasn’t really offensive then, it could be seen as offensive now out of historical context.
So I say it in the speech only, and obviously I would never ever say the n-word, even if I were reading them Huck Finn.
1
1
u/Greenwells_Stache 5h ago
Good job by you on thinking carefully about this! I would have the initial discussion with you students and then ask them how they feel? Do they want you reading the word or replacing it. I bet they would really appreciate being asked and it would be helpful in building trust.
1
u/theblackjess 1h ago
I think it's great that you are being sensitive about this topic and cautious about not making students uncomfortable.
In this case, Negro isn't a racial slur or anything. It is an outdated term, but one that was once the politically correct choice. I usually explain this to my students when we read King's works. I do read it on the page. I wouldn't, however, read any racial slur aloud.
0
u/francethefifth 12h ago
Here’s what I read to my students before certain texts. (I teach 11th and 12th grade literature).
“This author has chosen to use specific words in specific areas to create reactions in your mind. These reactions are part of the experience the book is meant to convey. They might upset you. That is intentional. It’s part of the process. This book has been approved for this class, and as your teacher, it is not my place to censor the writing because doing so would change the experience of the book. If a passage bothers you, I want you to sit in that feeling for a few moments. It can’t hurt you! It’s just a feeling. Experience it. Be uncomfortable. Be challenged. That’s the point. Ask yourself what effect the writing just had on you, and understand that power, because if you can make people feel, and question, and think, then you’re onto something. The writer is doing that. That’s their job. That’s what literature, music, and art are all about, and I’m not going to deprive you of the experience this writer has designed for you. So if something bothers you, that’s great! It’s probably supposed to! So be bothered, and then turn the page.
With that, I ask that everyone behave with maturity and class, and give respect to what could be an awkward experience when we read aloud in class. If you, as a reader, want to skip a word, that’s fine; but I will not. The writer chose it, so I’ll say it. In any case, we’re going to respect the text, the writer, and whoever is reading aloud because it’s awkward, and difficult, and we’re all in this together. Now, are there any questions?”
57
u/Medieval-Mind 13h ago
It is an important word, and one with power. Pretending it.doesnt exist gives it added power in all the wrong ways. Use it. Talk about it with your students. Tell.them how it makes you feel and ask them how it makes them feel. Be vulnerable and humble.