the N word


not sure how to deal with something...

as i've mentioned before, i work in an english language school where
most of the students are refugees from africa but there are also kids
from the middle east, asia, south america and eastern europe

most days i play basketball at recess with the students...it's usually
4 on 4 and about 5 of the 7 kids playing are from africa...now, the
african kids are usually into hiphop and when we're playing they use
the N word liberally...i'm not really comfortable with it, but i just
ignore it

lately though, some of the non-black kids have started using it as
well...no-one seems to have a problem with it...i don't think any of
them understand the power of the word...it's just something that
rappers call themselves and each other...the black kids aren't bothered
at all when a chinese kid calls them "***"

so my question is this...should i try to discourage them from using the
word? it's not a problem in this situation, but what if that chinese
kid uses it later with people he doesn't know? he doesn't understand
that he could get his arse kicked if he said it to the wrong person

and if i do try to explain that he shouldn't use the word, how exactly
do i go about it? how do i explain to someone who's just learning
english and western culture that he's not allowed to use the word when
it seems like everyone else around him is allowed to use it?

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