Is the N!Word Ever Appropriate?
The N!word is perhaps one of the most polarizing and divisive terms in the English language. Deeply rooted in racism, oppression, and the dehumanization of Black people, the inflammatory nature of the word leads many to believe it’s never appropriate to say, no matter the context. However, some members of the Black community have worked to reclaim the word as a symbol of empowerment and solidarity. That dichotomy creates uncomfortable or, worse, explosive situations for educators, parents, and institutional and community leaders to navigate and defuse when it’s said or written.
“I’ve been grappling with this issue for a long time,” says Dr. Eddie Moore Jr., founder of America & Moore, LLC, which provides comprehensive diversity, privilege, leadership, and antiracist training and workshops. “The appropriateness of this word was a whole new arena when I began leading antiracist workshops in 1996. Almost 30 years later, the use of the word is still prevalent, maybe even more so now because of social media.” Moore continues, “The major difference between then and now is the premise of the free pass for white youth who believe that because their friendship circle includes Black people, they have a pass to use the word as a term of endearment.” Moore believes that in order to reduce the power and use of this word, we need better conversation about it with our kids that don’t pit them against each other or include the cancel culture mindset.
Moore will co-facilitate a two-day workshop titled “The N!Word in Classrooms, Campuses, and Communities” on August 7 and 8 at the Key School in Annapolis to explore answers to the question “Is the N!Word ever appropriate?” “I know teachers and parents seek education because they want to be ready with the skills necessary to have honest and courageous conversation about the word especially when it comes to current events, literature, music, and movies,” says Moore.
“One of the top questions I’m asked when working with educators and parents is ‘how do I handle the use of the N!word?” said Jenna Chandler-Ward, co-founder of Teaching While White and co-facilitator with Moore at the upcoming workshop. “As educators, we were never given the tools to create the space necessary to deal with the word. My goal is to simply bring my experience to the workshop and share that when I was a young educator, I did not possess the skills to handle the use of the word. I thought I did because I was following best practice at the time. But looking back, I may have done more harm than good.”
The upcoming workshop will have a healing framework and offer participants a safe space to examine their personal and professional histories with the N!Word so that they can openly and honestly explore the challenges and answers to questions including whether white teachers should teach the N!Word at all, if it matters what year a document was written or the author’s race for it to be an appropriate part of the curriculum, or how to handle a heated debate when someone uses the word in conversation.
“As educators, leaders, and parents, we have a lot of opportunity for teachable moments,” says Moore. “If we can stop when the word is used and create those very important discussions over and over again, my hope for the future is that we’ll see the word lose its power and fade in existence. That’s why I do this work.”
If you are an educator, a parent, or a community or institutional leader who is searching for ways to handle the disruptive and complicated use of the N!Word, click here for more information and to register for “The N!Word in Classrooms, Campuses, and Communities” workshop to be held on August 7 and 8 at the Key School in Annapolis, Maryland.