Student suspended after discussion of Hotel Rwanda

As part of a class activity at a High School in Georgia, the movie "Hotel Rwanda" was viewed by students of an AP World History class. At the end of one of the day's viewings, there was a class discussion regarding the term *beep*. The term, although considered to be a racial slur by many, was apparently used freely in the movie. During this discussion, one student was presenting his opinion of whether the term should be used and more importantly whether the use of the word is illegal. He expressed that this term is readily used in Hip Hop / Rap music and is not taken as offensive and yet in other arenas it is considered very offensive to the same people that listen to Hip Hop / Rap music.

During this student's discussion, he turned to a black female student in the class and simply asked "How do you feel about the term *beep* "

After the class, apparently the black female student reported to the School Staff (not the teacher of the class) that she was offended by the student's comment, claiming that she was singled out and called a *beep*. Without investigating the issue completely, the school Principal suspended the student for 3 days stating:
"...under the current code of conduct, 'STUDENT' is in violation of section 1 #16 , more specifically using profane, vulgar, obscene or insulting language, as well as language detrimental to class."
The Principal went on to say:
"....I personally felt that the violation deserved more..."

This student is an Honor Student and has no marks of any kind against his academic record but as a result of this a flag is placed in his Permanent Record. Because of this he is deemed ineligible to hold many leadership positions in the school and was not permitted to participate in the Spring Band Concert which counted as 4 test grades toward the student’s final grade.

How can it be that one minute a school can call a discussion "Education" and 10 minutes later call it a "Violation" and impose disciplinary action?

a discussion on a word is a lot different to calling a person by that word IMO he got off lightly with 3 days and the female student should have beat the shit into him.

From what you said the boy just said " what do you think about the word ______".

He didn't actually call the girl the name, so that girl lied and said he called her one when he really didn't, going by what you said.

depends on the context

what u you think of the term _____ ? this is how u say asking about te term.

what do u think of the term, ______? but this one is different because it sounds like they are asking what do u think of the term and then adding the word on the end.

see how it can be misinterpreted

The school should have A) taken his accolades into account, and B) spoken to both of them.

Maybe they should have asked the class teacher......I don't think that student deserved it....the girl was overreacting. That is if what you said is true.

She was not over reacting. He said to her " How do you feel about the term ***** ". I certainly would'nt be happy if someone said that to me but it also depends on how he said it. Did he say it, calling her one or did he just ask how she felt about the word? Either way a suspension was not over reacting in any way, I think he got off lightly.

Yeah, Honors student just decides to throw his academic career in the trash can by turning around and calling some gal a ******. Highly unlikely, but not that it would matter, this day in age. AA would be all over that school had the honkey gotten away with it.

If I were the kid, I'd turn around and sue the school for defamation of character, because when he gets back, he'll be on everyone's shit list. Well, atleast the African American's.

Originally posted by Magee
She was not over reacting. He said to her " How do you feel about the term ***** ". I certainly would'nt be happy if someone said that to me but it also depends on how he said it. Did he say it, calling her one or did he just ask how she felt about the word? Either way a suspension was not over reacting in any way, I think he got off lightly.

Two possibilities how I would agree with you

a) He said "How do you feel aboot that term,......******"

b) He just went up to her out of context and said that

Neither of that did he do...he just asked someone who could tell him how they felt aboot it (well I guess she clearly showed how she felt aboot it) buit it was during a class discussion and not intended as an insult at all.

I see where your coming from. It was in a class discussion and he just asked a class companion how she felt. But its the fact she was black, he was obviously asking her because of her skin colour. Some people might take that as a sort of racist attack. If the girl did'nt find it offensive nothing would of happened, but she did hence the suspension.

Well what the **** its a term used to insuult black peopel...why the **** should he ask a white person or a hispanic? Just doesn'T make sense.....people are just to stuck up nowadays

Well thats your opinion. Fact is she didnt like it so something had to be done.

yikes. some discussion!

Originally posted by Magee
Well thats your opinion. Fact is she didnt like it so something had to be done.

Well look.hmm how can I make a decent comparison.

Lets say there is a german in that class...and they talk abot nazis and how Germans were nazis and stuff...and then someone turns to me and say "How do you feel aboot the term nazi" I might feel offended because I was just asked that cause I am german...thats the same thing....but first I wouldn't go to the principal and second no one would care.

Read what you just wrote again. You would'nt go to the principal but she did, hence the suspension 😉

And the fact that your not a nazi (I hope) makes it a pretty bad example.

But Bardock would not be able to get anyone suspended.

I'm black, and if that were said to me, I'd tell him I didn't like it, I wouldn't use it as ammunition to get him into trouble.

In some ways you could see it as her way of being racist, if another black student had asked that question, she wouldn't have reacted the way she did. Am I making sense?

I think the other Student was treated extremely unfairly there should have been a deeper investigation into it. And the teacher of the class should have been asked, if she really had such a problem with it she would've said something to the class teacher, or to the lad, instead of leaving it and telling the head later.

Originally posted by Magee
Read what you just wrote again. You would'nt go to the principal but she did, hence the suspension 😉

And the fact that your not a nazi (I hope) makes it a pretty bad example.

So what you are saying is that she is a ******? ...nah just kidding.....but some other (mostly female) germans might be offended and would go to the principal....no one would care though...cause I wouldn't have been called a nazi....

Originally posted by Thael
I'm black, and if that were said to me, I'd tell him I didn't like it, I wouldn't use it as ammunition to get him into trouble.

In some ways you could see it as her way of being racist, if another black student had asked that question, she wouldn't have reacted the way she did. Am I making sense?

I think the other Student was treated extremely unfairly there should have been a deeper investigation into it. And the teacher of the class should have been asked, if she really had such a problem with it she would've said something to the class teacher, or to the lad, instead of leaving it and telling the head later.

I think thael put it pretty good ✅

Maybe you have to be of 100% African heritage for the suspension rule to apply?