The Educator Needs Some Educating

CONTENT WARNING: Racist language

A group of us is hanging out at a local bar. A friend brings along someone new, and through conversation, we find out he’s a teacher at the local high school. 

Later in the evening, he glances at the pool table where a group of African American guys are playing.

Teacher: *Grumbling.* “Great. Look who’s hogging the table. I didn’t know that only Jim Crow and Aunt Jemima were allowed to play.”

Friend #1: “Hey, don’t say things like that.”

Teacher: “Bah, it’s just talk. I’m not gonna do anything to them.”

One of my friends leans forward, calm but sharp:

Friend #2: “Interesting. Can you tell me more about your practices to keep those biases in check while working with our students and families?”

The teacher freezes. His face goes pale as the weight of the words sinks in. It’s like he’s realized for the first time that words like that can get him into trouble at work. He’s quiet for the rest of the night.

That week, my friend filed a report with the school. Even if they can’t do anything about it, at least there’s a record.