# Teacher assaults student that uses a racial slur against him **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 7, 2018, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-assaults-student-that-uses-a-racial-slur-against-him/824106 "2018-11-07T00:02:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![ftl\_ftw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@ftl\_ftw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftl_ftw)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2018, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-assaults-student-that-uses-a-racial-slur-against-him/824106/181 "2018-11-18T03:44:09Z")
Both people are obviously wrong, but one is the adult in the position of power here. I think both people should get the appropriate punishment for their situation. The student should be given a nice long suspension. The teacher should be fired at the very least, and prosecuted for child abuse. No idea if he should go to prison or just do a lot of community service, but he definitely shouldn’t work with kids ever again. Part of the deal of dealing with kids is that you have to appropriately deal with them even when they’re doing blatantly terrible shit, because they’re kids. [edit] On second thought, I don’t condone either expelling the kid or putting the adult in prison - both are life-ruining, and this society already has too easy of a school-to-prison and prison-to-lifelong-criminal pipeline. Whatever a reasonable punishment is for the ex-teacher is that doesn’t involve prison should be appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2018, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-assaults-student-that-uses-a-racial-slur-against-him/824106/182 "2018-11-18T10:15:44Z")
> [@Isosleepy](#): > > It doesn’t matter how hard it is to be a teacher, how bad the kids are, how unsatisfactory the consequences for misbehaving kids are. Under no circumstance is punching, slapping, kicking -even “just one”- the answer. > > Find different ways. Or find different teachers. But never ever assault. The idea that anyone can find justification for this is repugnant. > > Now, the moment the kid throws a punch, any self defense is entirely appropriate. > > And the idea that the consequences for kids are minimal “these days” is outright ridiculous. The whole concept of zero tolerance, that last refuge of incompetents and complete abdication of moral responsibility, means kids these days are tap-dancing in a mine field, and the most ridiculously minor offense can have outsized and life-altering consequences. Well said. ---
**Author:** ![Allysium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dbc845/32.png) [@Allysium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Allysium)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2018, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-assaults-student-that-uses-a-racial-slur-against-him/824106/183 "2018-11-18T15:34:51Z")
Teacher goes to jail, his assets are liquified and given to the kid. If you’re an adult who beats a child you are an absolute waste of humanity and I have no use for you. I don’t care “why”, there’s no excuse why an adult man has to use that kind of force against a child. I’m sorry the kid said mean words that hurt the teacher’s feelings. Perhaps if the words of 14 year old boys were so triggering, he shouldn’t have become _a high school teacher_. Anyone in this thread defending or justifying this teacher’s action can join the teacher in going straight to Hell. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-assaults-student-that-uses-a-racial-slur-against-him/824106/184 "2018-11-19T07:06:58Z")
> [@Isosleepy](#): > > It doesn’t matter how hard it is to be a teacher, how bad the kids are, how unsatisfactory the consequences for misbehaving kids are. Under no circumstance is punching, slapping, kicking -even “just one”- the answer. > > Find different ways. Or find different teachers. But never ever assault. The idea that anyone can find justification for this is repugnant. > > Now, the moment the kid throws a punch, any self defense is entirely appropriate. > > And the idea that the consequences for kids are minimal “these days” is outright ridiculous. The whole concept of zero tolerance, that last refuge of incompetents and complete abdication of moral responsibility, means kids these days are tap-dancing in a mine field, and the most ridiculously minor offense can have outsized and life-altering consequences. The thing is sometimes a minor ass whipping saves a lot of future pain. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-assaults-student-that-uses-a-racial-slur-against-him/824106/185 "2018-11-19T08:28:16Z")
> [@Allysium](#): > > Teacher goes to jail, his assets are liquified and given to the kid. If you’re an adult who beats a child you are an absolute waste of humanity and I have no use for you. I don’t care “why”, there’s no excuse why an adult man has to use that kind of force against a child. > > I’m sorry the kid said mean words that hurt the teacher’s feelings. Perhaps if the words of 14 year old boys were so triggering, he shouldn’t have become _a high school teacher_. > > Anyone in this thread defending or justifying this teacher’s action can join the teacher in going straight to Hell. So calling a black man the n word should only upset him if the abuser is over 18? Also, a high school student is not a child. Were the victim a 5th grader you would have a point. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-assaults-student-that-uses-a-racial-slur-against-him/824106/186 "2018-11-19T11:41:45Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Were the victim a 5th grader you would have a point. Heh. A friend of mine is a grade school principal. He responded to one of his teacher’s calls for help with a first grader having a tantrum. My friend tried to calm him down, but the kid pulled a Cujo and bit him. The kid’s parents were called, while the kid was left in the room with the lights turned out. The school nurse cleaned and bandaged the _very_ minor bite wound, but insisted my friend go to the ER for a tetanus update as well as documentation purposes. When the kid’s mom arrived, she freaked out over a bump on the kid’s head which was self-trauma (the kid had slammed his head into a wall). The principal spoke with her, apologizing for not being there when she arrived, but explaining he was at the Emergency Room having the bite wound addressed. Mom saw the bandage, quieted down, and took the kid home. I heard the story that night at the bar. My friend removed the impressive looking bandage and after some searching we found the most minor wound ever. I searched “rabies quarantine” and then anxiously documented the quarantine period. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-assaults-student-that-uses-a-racial-slur-against-him/824106/187 "2018-11-19T12:42:51Z")
**Mod Hat On** Do not tell other posters to “go to hell” outside of the Pit. > [@Allysium](#): > > Teacher goes to jail, his assets are liquified and given to the kid. If you’re an adult who beats a child you are an absolute waste of humanity and I have no use for you. I don’t care “why”, there’s no excuse why an adult man has to use that kind of force against a child. > > I’m sorry the kid said mean words that hurt the teacher’s feelings. Perhaps if the words of 14 year old boys were so triggering, he shouldn’t have become _a high school teacher_. > > Anyone in this thread defending or justifying this teacher’s action can join the teacher in going straight to Hell. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-assaults-student-that-uses-a-racial-slur-against-him/824106/188 "2018-11-19T13:31:06Z")
I dont think the teacher should be fired. Unless of course he has had a history of losing his temper. Otherwise he should get a letter in his file and moved to another school. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-assaults-student-that-uses-a-racial-slur-against-him/824106/189 "2018-11-19T13:43:50Z")
> [@ftl\_ftw](#): > > [edit] On second thought, I don’t condone either expelling the kid or putting the adult in prison - both are life-ruining, and this society already has too easy of a school-to-prison and prison-to-lifelong-criminal pipeline. Whatever a reasonable punishment is for the ex-teacher is that doesn’t involve prison should be appropriate. No, expulsion is exactly what needs to be done. That kid has forfeited his right, and PRIVILEGE, to ever attend a public school again. Most likely this isnt his first bout of troublemaking. He can still go for his GED. Is this a pipeline to jail? Well maybe and maybe not. Maybe he will hit a wall and realize he does have to follow the rules and will change his life around. I hope so. He might have a 1 year suspension where I HOPE he realizes how stupid he was, writes a MAJOR letter of apology, and goes back and becomes a model student. Thing is right now that kid will walk right back into the school and be everyones hero. He will inspire others to do the same behavior. The school will be a zoo. Teachers will just hand out free grades so the troublemakers leave them alone (seen it happen). Everyones education will suffer. ---
**Author:** ![Allysium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dbc845/32.png) [@Allysium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Allysium)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-assaults-student-that-uses-a-racial-slur-against-him/824106/190 "2018-11-19T15:08:04Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > So calling a black man the n word should only upset him if the abuser is over 18? > > Also, a high school student is not a child. Were the victim a 5th grader you would have a point. If someone is so easily offended that hearing a word makes them fly into a rage, they are unstable and should not work around children. The minor in this story is fourteen, that is a child. It doesn’t matter if it’s grade 5 or grade 9, beating a child to the point of hospitalisation is sick. The man who beat him deserves to be in prison. He is not safe to be in society if the words of a child move him to such violence. It doesn’t matter the race, were the teacher white and the student black, I would have the same opinion. But we live in a society now where violence againt those who disagree with you is celebrated and encouraged; I’m never surprised to see leftists showing their true colours. Every bit as racist and violent as the alt-right. ---
**Author:** ![Allysium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dbc845/32.png) [@Allysium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Allysium)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-assaults-student-that-uses-a-racial-slur-against-him/824106/191 "2018-11-19T15:09:42Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > **Mod Hat On** > > Do not tell other posters to “go to hell” outside of the Pit. Lol yes that’s the real issue, not people in this thread loling over child abuse. What kind of sick place is this? ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-assaults-student-that-uses-a-racial-slur-against-him/824106/192 "2018-11-19T16:23:16Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > So my question is: Is violence justified against hate speech? Violence is not justified against _any_ kind of speech unless there is a clear and imminent physical threat. Which was not the case here. The hate speech was only one element; it wasn’t just a word thrown out there, the student was generally belligerent and disrespectful. The student was baiting the teacher and the teacher took the bait. He should have followed his school’s policy for discipline, and the kid probably would have been suspended or expelled. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-assaults-student-that-uses-a-racial-slur-against-him/824106/193 "2018-11-19T18:04:56Z")
**Moderator Note** > [@Allysium](#): > > Lol yes that’s the real issue, not people in this thread loling over child abuse. What kind of sick place is this? The kind of place that allows posters to discuss most topics, and disagree with one another, and to advocate for their own viewpoints—so long as it’s done civilly. If you have any further comment on the moderation or the way the board is run, feel free to start a thread about it in the About This Message Board forum. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-assaults-student-that-uses-a-racial-slur-against-him/824106/194 "2018-11-19T19:18:55Z")
> [@Chingon](#): > > I hear screaming in someone’s face is highly effective. You brought this up twice. Okay, I’ll bite. What are you talking about? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Chingon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chingon/32/17645_2.png) [@Chingon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chingon)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-assaults-student-that-uses-a-racial-slur-against-him/824106/195 "2018-11-19T19:24:20Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Not to blame (or excuse) the teacher, but if you kick a kid out of class, you have to make it stick. You don’t let him stand there and mouth off - you walk up to him with your hands at your sides while you take a deep breath. Then you look him straight in the eyes and start bellowing in his face, non-stop, until he [list=A] > [li]starts to back up, in which case you follow him while continuing to bellow, until he drops his eyes and/or runs, or [/li][li]puts his hands on you, in which case you spin him around, and walk him out.[/li][/list]Maybe it is against the rules even to grab him if he grabs you, but you have to pick your battles with kids - but you darn well better win them. > > Many of the good teachers I have known can turn the crazy on and off. Machiavelli said it is better to be feared than loved. I wonder if, at any point, he taught eighth grade. > > Regards, > Shodan From the King of InternetBadAssery himself. ---
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-assaults-student-that-uses-a-racial-slur-against-him/824106/196 "2018-11-19T19:36:59Z")
> [@Sparky812](#): > > He’s definitely not white, he looks black and uses a lot of what is considered african-american vernacular, but after watching the video again very closely, I suppose he could be hispanic. I didn’t watch the video but Maywood, CA is **98.3%** Hispanic and **1.5%** White. [http://www.city-data.com/city/Maywood-California.html](http://www.city-data.com/city/Maywood-California.html) ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-assaults-student-that-uses-a-racial-slur-against-him/824106/197 "2018-11-19T20:52:52Z")
> [@Allysium](#): > > Teacher goes to jail, his assets are liquified and given to the kid. If you’re an adult who beats a child you are an absolute waste of humanity and I have no use for you. I don’t care “why”, there’s no excuse why an adult man has to use that kind of force against a child. > > I’m sorry the kid said mean words that hurt the teacher’s feelings. Perhaps if the words of 14 year old boys were so triggering, he shouldn’t have become _a high school teacher_. > > Anyone in this thread defending or justifying this teacher’s action can join the teacher in going straight to Hell. Ah, this takes me back to the good old days when there was good, bad, and no grey in between. But then I grew up and accepted the fact that sometimes people deserve the beat down their words get them. Then I blew out the candles on my cake and enjoyed my 6th birthday. Seriously, your position completely lacks the nuance or proportionality required to function in the real world. You make it sound like the kid was a straight A student with admirable deportment and this rogue teacher just flipped his lid and was looking to beat some random kid nearly to death. Is there any evidence the kid received so much as a bruise? I would be highly interested in hearing how you would have handled the situation. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-assaults-student-that-uses-a-racial-slur-against-him/824106/198 "2018-11-19T21:29:29Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > Ah, this takes me back to the good old days when there was good, bad, and no grey in between. But then I grew up and accepted the fact that sometimes people deserve the beat down their words get them. Then I blew out the candles on my cake and enjoyed my 6th birthday. Seriously, your position completely lacks the nuance or proportionality required to function in the real world. I’m 40 years past that 6th birthday and very much want to live in a world where people who react to words with violence are given lenghty time-outs in cages. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2018, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-assaults-student-that-uses-a-racial-slur-against-him/824106/199 "2018-11-20T11:40:00Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > The hate speech was only one element; it wasn’t just a word thrown out there, the student was generally belligerent and disrespectful. The student was baiting the teacher and the teacher took the bait. He should have followed his school’s policy for discipline, and the kid probably would have been suspended or expelled. I agree with the first part. It seemed to me that more than the specific terms used, it was the disrespect and taunting of the teacher, who had completely lost the class. I don’t know if the last part is correct or not. My cousin went into teaching in his late 40s, ironically teaching band to middle school and only lasted one year. The school administration simply didn’t back up the teachers enough, in his opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2018, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-assaults-student-that-uses-a-racial-slur-against-him/824106/200 "2018-11-20T13:24:14Z")
> [@TokyoBayer](#): > > I agree with the first part. It seemed to me that more than the specific terms used, it was the disrespect and taunting of the teacher, who had completely lost the class. > > I don’t know if the last part is correct or not. My cousin went into teaching in his late 40s, ironically teaching band to middle school and only lasted one year. > > The school administration simply didn’t back up the teachers enough, in his opinion. I’ve seen schools where because there HAD been alot of suspensions and expulsions, the administration basically ordered them all to stop. The teachers hands were tied and they responded by basically giving in and letting the kids do what they wanted. A sort of “strike” you might say. Only when things truly got crazy and their were fires and police calls and such and the media (nothing like a tv reporter outside a school) got involved did the district go back to allowing suspensions. I dont think most people realize how truly bad a public school can be run. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-assaults-student-that-uses-a-racial-slur-against-him/824106.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-assaults-student-that-uses-a-racial-slur-against-him/824106.md?page=11)