Quote:
Originally Posted by Eileen
It's probably the case that authority figures ignore it a lot (but let me tell you that it is probably in many cases not that they don't care but because discipline is hard--that's my story, anyway). That said, I ALWAYS call kids out on homophobic and mental disability slurs. Those are the ones I hear most often (ie, "that's gay" and "that's retarded"). But I teach English, so word choice is a central topic in my class--so I try to observe those offenses as "teachable moments." That said, nobody gets to abuse one another in my class without being called on it (and in particularly egregious circumstances, written up for it).
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Man, I would hate your class. The kids aren't usually using those words to mean anything to do with homosexuality or even mental disability. They're insults along the same level as "poopie face" or "dweeb." The word "gay" was co-opted into having a sexual connotation anyway, it really means joyful. If it can be co-opted by one group, why not another who wants it to mean lame or dumb? I don't think the first co-opping is somehow more valid.
On second thought, maybe I would love your class.
