Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: The N-Word My name is Kristin. I have taught high school English for nine years in a rural school. Recently, my husband and I had to move to a much larger city because of a promotion my husband received. I found a job as an English teacher at a high school that serves mostly African American and Hispanic students. My new students are nice and respectful. However, there is one issue that has been bothering me. I have been seeing my students talking to each other using the "n word." They are not bothered by this, but even in class discussions, if they are responding to one another, sometimes they use the "n word." In my previous school, we were very strict about these types of slurs. I am at loss now. Is this part of the school culture? Should I explain to my students why they should not use that word? Should I make a rule about it? I do not know how to deal with this. Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) I think having a classroom rule against that word would be appropriate. Students need to learn that there are boundaries that must be followed. For example, the boundaries are different at church, school, ball games, and at home. Students need to be taught that at school their are certain expectations such as appropriate forms of expression and words.