Patriotism: A Love Story, by Toby Jennkins

Patriotism: A Love Story, by Toby Jenkins (Journal of Black Masculinity), provides an enticing argument that "acting up" may be a constructive means to affect change for the good. An interesting example that elicited a strong reaction from me was “The Trouble with Black Boys: The Role and Influence of Environmental and Cultural Factors on the Academic Performance of African American Males,” Pedro Noguera(2002). The example cites how a young African American student in high school had to write a paper about Huckleberry Finn, but not address the issue of race (per the teacher's instruction). In addition, two black male students in the class also objected to the use of a racial slur in the story, to which the teacher told them to essentially get over it. Now, my first reaction was to the teacher telling the students to get over the use of the word. I thought to myself, not a day goes by where words such as bitch, and so forth are thrown into my face. I just "deal" - yes, Huck Finn touches on racism and part of that is the use of that word...so why shouldn't they deal with the word and let it go?!

I pondered this more and realized that the point is a lot more complex - it's not so much as the word but the fact that the students were told to deal with it - to conform, accept it and to move on. Wow - how many times does that happen to all of us one way or another - be it in school, at work, within the family. Yet, at the same time, people do take a stand and they DO affect CHANGE. The two boys dropped the class to take another class. If their teacher had listened to the boys and engaged them with the class - this could have been a profound moment for learning and understanding. The boys could have been given another assignment. You bet if there was a required reading that was especially violent and negative towards white women, there would have been a lot more sensitivity to the issue.

I would like to have learned more about the case, the implications, resolutions and how other instructors and students would have handled this situation. Definitely food for thought.