Parents try to fire teacher for assigning "niggardly" as a vocabulary word

The Wilmington Star ^ | Sept 1, 2002 | Sherry Jones

[gitmo]

Parent offended by lesson in vocabulary</font<

Use of a word that sounds like a racial slur has landed a New Hanover County teacher in the middle of a controversy. Stephanie Bell, a fourth-grade teacher at Williams Elementary School, taught the word "niggardly" to her class last week in an effort to improve her students' vocabularies. Now, a parent wants her fired.

Niggardly as defined by Webster's:
adj.
1. reluctant to give or spend; stingy;miserly
2. meanly or ungenerously small or scanty

Although the word means stingy, Akwana Walker said it was inappropriate to use it because it sounds similar to a racial slur. She said she doesn't think fourth-graders can distinguish between the two words.

"My daughter told me what that word was, and I told her not to complete that part of her homework," said Ms. Walker, who is black.

Ms. Bell, who is white, defended her choice of the word and said she didn't mean to offend anyone. She has already sent home letters of apology with her students, as her principal instructed.

The word came up Aug. 20 during a comparison of two characters from different stories. One character was a Hispanic girl; the other was a white boy. The class talked briefly about the proper words to use when describing a person's race, Ms. Bell said.

Then, the class discussed other ways to describe people. One child described the boy as stingy.

Ms. Bell said she thought this would be a good chance to find a word for the day, a practice she has used this year.

"The idea for the word of the day is to pick part of the curriculum or something you can extend from it," she said.

She began looking for a synonym for "stingy." The children's dictionary offered "self-centered." But Ms. Bell said most of the children already knew that word.

That's when she landed on the word "niggard." She added the "-ly" because the class was studying adverbs. Ms. Bell explained the meaning of the word and told the students how to use it in a sentence, something they would have to do on their spelling tests to gain extra points.

"And that was it," she said. "These words for the day are used solely as extra credit. They have to use the word in a sentence that shows they understand the meaning."

Her students did that on their vocabulary tests, she said.

A few days later, Ms. Bell received a letter from Ms. Walker saying the word was not allowed in her house, no matter what it means.

"Common sense tells you not to put a word like that on the board," Ms. Walker said.

Ms. Walker met with Ms. Bell and the school's principal, Susan Hahn, Thursday. As a result, Ms. Walker's daughter, Gabrielle, has been moved to another class.

In addition to the apology sent home Friday, Ms. Bell has agreed not to use the word again in her class. A counselor will meet with Ms. Bell's students.

Ms. Walker doesn't think that's enough. She wants Ms. Bell removed from her teaching position.

Norm Shearin, deputy superintendent for the New Hanover County Schools, said Friday the principal is dealing with the situation.

"Our position is that it was an inappropriate action in terms of using that word at that grade level, in that context," he said. "… It was a bad choice."

This isn't the first time the word has stirred controversy. In 1999, for instance, an employee in the Washington, D.C., mayor's office resigned after being accused of using a racial slur. He had used the word "niggardly" during a conversation about funding.

Ms. Bell said she was sorry the word offended someone, but she wants people to understand that "niggardly" is an appropriate word.

"If these children read it, they are going to need to know what they are reading," she said. "My concern is that we are treading a fine line here. … What word do we take out next?"

William Whalen, whose daughter also is in Ms. Bell's class, said he thinks the situation has been blown out of proportion. Mr. Whalen is white.

"One mother was offended because she took that word to mean something it didn't mean," he said. "Ms. Bell apologized. That was sufficient."

He added his daughter has encountered the word when reading The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.

"She's a good teacher," Mr. Whalen said. "I don't think she had any ulterior motives. … It's a word. That's all it is."

Sherry Jones: 343-2378

sherry.jones@wilmingtonstar.com

[alisasny]

"One mother was offended because she took that word to mean something it didn't mean," he said. "Ms. Bell apologized. That was sufficient."

Why apologize for that mother's ignorance. I hope a good lawyer picks up the teacher's cause.

[SouthernFreebird]

WTF? why is she apologizing to some ignorant who can't even look up a word in the dictionary.

[Maedhros]

IIRC there was a radio personality in DC who was fired for using "niggardly" on air a few years ago.

*absolute insanity*

[Tailgunner Joe]

It's not good enough to teach the kids ebonics, we have to make sure they don't learn english.

[alisasny]

The offended parents in this school are too niggardly to buy a dictionary.

[giznort]

Political correctness run amuck. Grammatically challenged people offended because it SOUNDS like another word? Let's change the English language because something SOUNDS like an offensive word.

Teacher loses job because of parental stupidity. Maybe the offended mother should take an 'english as a second language' course. Dumb ditch.

[goodieD]

apparently 4th graders aren't the only ones who can't distinguish between the two words... by calling undue attention to words that even SOUND like the dreaded "N" word, you are making people think of it more. Perhaps if the blacks stopped using it amongst themselves, and let it die a natural death, it might just go away. Oh, I'm sorry, they don't WANT it to go away... we have to keep being reminded of racism in order to keep it alive.

[strela]

"... and the Fool Killer lowers his club and sadly walks away with his head bowed. For there are simply too many targets for him to choose from."

Let's eliminate the word "spigot" as well - its pretty darned close to a slur describing Hispanics. "Spade" and "donkey" simply have to go as well.

Thanks for posting this - my blood pressure wasn't high enough until I read your post. I'll continue to use "moron," "idiocy," and "nanny-state busybody" to describe these twits, however.

[badfreeper]

Seeing as how the word "niggard" evolved centuries ago in Scandinavia, it's a safe bet that whoever coined the term probably had never even seen a black person.

[SouthernFreebird]

Gone with the wind comes to mind......I don't know nuthin bout no dictionary !

[Burr5]

Also on the P.C. chopping-block:

"Jew Fish"

"SaurKRAUT"

"Spic and Span"

[Texas_Jarhead]

well dangit then let's get rid of donkey too!

[austingirl]

Excellent point.

[rdb3]

Again?

[alisasny]

"Charles Dickens describes Bentley Drummle, a doomed character in 'Great Expectations,' as 'idle, proud, niggardly, reserved, and suspicious.' In 1965, dissenting from the Supreme Court's ruling in Griswold v. Connecticut, Justice Hugo Black argued that to treat the First Amendment 'as though it protects nothing but 'privacy' ... is to give it a niggardly interpretation, not the kind of liberal reading' the Bill of Rights deserves. And in II Corinthians 9:6 (Revised Standard Version), the apostle Paul writes: 'But do not forget that he who sows with a niggardly hand will also reap a niggardly crop, and that he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.'

[abner]

A few days later, Ms. Bell received a letter from Ms. Walker saying the word was not allowed in her house, no matter what it means.

As usual, some ignorant PCer not letting the facts get in the way. With that mentality, the truth no longer has the ability to set someone free.

[mountaineer]

This has inspired me to do a little experiment. I'm a newspaper writer. My plan is to use the word "niggardly" in an upcoming story (in its proper context, of course), and see how many people complain.

[alisasny]

'Day-Glo' must go because it sounds like the anti-Italian slur 'dago.' "

[rdb3]

Although the word means stingy, Akwana Walker said it was inappropriate to use it because it sounds similar to a racial slur. She said she doesn't think fourth-graders can distinguish between the two words.

Ummm, I think that's why they go to school. To learn, or something like that.

I could be wrong.

[SouthernFreebird]

LOL........ no more crackers with your salad either

[Texas_Jarhead]

not to mention the word 'honk' itself

[RedwM]

And niggling to boot.

[Gumlegs]

Parents try to fire teacher for assigning "niggardly" as a vocabulary word

Oh, brother.

[alisasny]

Even Julian Bond, the NAACP chairman, found Howard’s resignation ridiculous. Bond said, "Seems to me the mayor has been niggardly in his judgment on this issue. You hate to think you have to censor your language to meet other people’s lack of understanding."

Even Bond understands the word showing that these offended parents are even beyond ignorant.

[rdb3]

Dago. Ha! My friends back at St. Joes said that about themselves all the time.

[MissAmericanPie]

This is so rediculous, now vocabulary words must be P.C.?

[Polybius]

And now for the rest of the news....

Three feminists have demaded the firing of the Santa Claus at the 37th Street Mall. They claim that he insulted and sexually harrassed them when he addressed them as "Ho, Ho, Hos".

[I_Love_My_Husband]

Naturally this happens all the time in schools. And yes, there's a lot of ignorant parents out there, just like this one.

[proxy_user]

Oops! There goes "fucus" and "cunctation"! Try those in the fourth grade...

[lexington minuteman 1775]

"Ungenerously small or scanty"Sounds like pretty much sums up the argument of the lady that wants the teacher fired so I guess that makes her niggardly.

[gitmo]

I give up. What offensive word does "donkey" sound like? I'm either deficient in slur vocabulary, or my mind isn't firing on all cylinders today.

[fjsva]

Shirt sounds like sh....

Better go wash my mouth out with soap.

[Texas_Jarhead]

lol... you beat me to it (re: donkey)

[bankwalker]

Hey! Teacher! Leave those kids alone....

All in all you're just another brick in the wall.

[joesnuffy]

No mo' Frijole Negros how bout 'bigger' 'trigger' 'digger' all so dangerously close just for safety's sake should be eliminated from popular speech just in case....

[AndrewSmith]

THOUGHT POLICE STRIKE AGAIN!

[strela]

"I have a little list ... they never will be missed ..."

bigger
chigger
Day-Glo
digger
donkey
gig
niggardly
niggling
pig
piglet
rig
rigger
spigot

Feel free to add to this list. We need to get this off to Concerned Parents everywhere, most ricky-tick.

[mystery-ak]

What really irritates me, aside from the ignorant parents, is that the damn principal didn't back up one of his/her teachers!

[reg45]

The offended parents in this school are too niggardly to buy a dictionary.

The offended parents in this school are too niggerly to read a dictionary.

[Paul Atreides]

Akwana Walker

Who cares what someone named Akwana has to say?

[strela]

I give up. What offensive word does "donkey" sound like?

A deprecative term for Caucasians. Starts with an "h".

[alisasny]

Other Niggardly, Politically Incorrect Terms

[ValerieUSA]

She has already sent home letters of apology with her students, as her principal instructed.

What a weenie principal. The teacher's union ought to sue this principal on behalf of the teacher.

[Paul Atreides]

A few days later, Ms. Bell received a letter from Ms. Walker saying the word was not allowed in her house, no matter what it means.

However, if she is watching Chris Rock, or any other standup comedian, or rapper, and he lets loose with the actual racial slur, she would have no problem.

[scannell]

Why apologize for that mother's ignorance. I hope a good lawyer picks up the teacher's cause.

EXACTLY!

[alisasny]

The nappy hair controversy.

[scannell]

Sounds like a latter day Liberal "Word" burning frenzy.

[gitmo]

Oh. Duh.

[AndrewSmith]

Guess we should stop saying "grease" for fear someone will think we are talking about "greasers". And, dont say "greasey", either.

Down in New Zealand, the government is pushing "racial sensitivity". Not only are the thought police running around in tremendous numbers there, but if whites say anything that is even mildy descriptive of the local black race, you are said to be "racially insensitive"-an easier level to reach than racist.

It is used to keep the whites quiet. And, it works very well. What we are discussing here is pure "racial sensitivity". training.