Mis-education of Youth (Continued)
This email is regarding the books assigned to 9th grade English students at River Ridge High School, using racist, offensive language. Specifically books by White authors.
My Son explained that he was assigned to read and listened to Of Mice and Men in class. He explained that when the characters said the word nigger, he felt his world shrink. As his classmates turned around and looked at him, being one of the few Black children in your class.
Do you understand the pressure, anger, and hate of all types that puts on and fills children with?
Do you understand the damage, harm, terror, chaos, and violence…?
As an English teacher you know the history and power behind the word nigger. If you are truly treating 9th grade students as adults (which they are not)-it is your job to stop disrespect, along with false, racist, ignorant, ideology, and descriptions that continue to poison the education system taught to Black students. They need to be shown that white, racist, ignorant hate-breeders views are a morbid, deadly, wrong, way to see and accept themselves.
What was your intention?
If it was to introduce history’s admired White writers; cool-I understand that- being it is an English class. I have read many of Steinbeck and his peers’ books and novels, as insight into White, Black, American, and world history.
As a Black Man, with knowledge of self, understanding and confidence, I am still disturbed at the love and acceptance of history’s great White writer’s racist beliefs. And how their teachings about Blacks are honored as bible scripture. But I understand the system.
The excuse of "that's just how they spoke back in the day" is as valid as the belief that 1) Malcolm X and The Black Panthers were racist because they believed Black people had the right to freedom, full employment, education, housing, and self-protection.
And 2-infinity) the belief that "anti-racism somehow means anti-white". Statements and lessons that are actually believed and taught by a sub-culture of WHITE people, to control minds, bodies, and produce...
As an educator, you must be familiar with many other great writers of American classic fiction and literature, comparable and, or, better than Steinbeck. I provided a list below.
(Homegoing) by Yaa Gyasi
(From Man To Superman) by J.A. Rogers
(Nickel Boys) by Colsin Whitehead
(Their Eyes were watching God) by Zora Neale Hurston
(The Bluest Eye) & (Home) by Toni Morrison
(Invisible man) by Ralph Ellison
(Black No More) by George Schuyler
(The Spook Who Sat By The Door) by Sam GreenLee
(Faces at the Bottom of the Well) by Derrick Bell
Also, it would be influential and impressive to add the autobiographies of Malcolm X and Fredrick Douglas. Along with, (Stamped) by Ibram x kendi and Jason Reynolds to your curriculum.
In addition, I have listed three songs below, that should be required listening.
Goodie Mob- song called “The Experience” https://youtu.be/M3iZq-A08ZY
Cee-Lo Green (member of Goodie Mob)- https://youtu.be/t6_ROyyOJdw - listen to and watch the video carefully for the English, Literature, Sociology, and History lesson within this song and video). The images flash faster than the agreements White politicians make with Black voters before burning and ignoring them after they're elected.
And of course, every White kid’s musical savior/ hero- Eminem- song called “White America” https://youtu.be/RZIzD0ZfTFg
As I am sure you know, Black (African American) history is also White (European American) history, so Black authors depicting positive, negative, critical, true-news, and facts about Blacks, Whites, America and the concerned/affected cultures, should be included and taught throughout the year-because, White racist's history is tied to Black history.
You should never put Black children in a situation where they are forced to hear themselves described as niggers, in any lesson involving White racist culture’s instigating punch, to test its dis-obedient/strong(field) or obedient/meek(house) nigger mentality theory. There are many other true, accurate, critical words that describe Blacks, especially when stated by Black, self-loving, compassionate, honest without discrimination, anti-racist authors.
In the context white people use and teach the word nigger, makes them niggers themselves. (Lying, untrustworthy, ignorant) ... and whatever additional insidious definitions racists have attached to the word.
As an English teacher I'm sure you know the definition of that terrible, moronic, racist, European American term created and taught by your ancestors, which continues to this day.
Your ancestral term should not be confused with the true African term NEGUS (Ethiopian description for King),
or the American acronym created by TUPAC- NEVER IGNORANT GETTING GOALS ACCOMPLISHED (NIGGA)
If you absolutely need to continue- because you can’t get enough of the word- as evident throughout history's archaic mis-education of the negro (also a great book by Carter G. Woodson)-you should preface all information with racist language, proudly used by Whites with the song by Boris Gardiner called "Every Nigger Is A Star". Because the songs title and statement rings truer than the Declaration of Independence. As Blacks were, and are still the light, shining and guiding, the world.
If books by White authors with intentional racist, hurtful language are continued to be taught—You must
#1 send a permission slip home with my student for parental permission.
#2 have a discussion with the students about the truth, trauma and racism behind the words according to your ancestors' meaning.
