WILL.I.AM's comment on Einstein

[mrnoble]

I know I've posted about this in another thread already, but I kind of have a lot to say on this subject in general and on this instance in particular. I'll try to be brief.

I use cuss words as teaching tools. I play NWA songs to start discussions about racism and other related issues. I started every day of Freshman Orientation by showing a different Epic Rap Battles of History episode, using their crudeness as a hook for learning about great artists, philosophers and scientists. And yes, when I think it has an appropriate educational purpose, I will cuss in my students' presence. I do this consciously, seeing as I rarely cuss at all for any other reason.

The culture has shifted, people. Fifteen years ago my teaching mentor (God bless him) told me never to allow chewing gum, and talked about his "virgin ears" not wanting to hear curse words, but he also told me to always shake boys' hands and squeeze them hard enough to cause pain, just so they they would know I'm the boss. Fortunately I haven't taken any of that advice to heart or action, and if any teachers still take that outdated approach then I'm shocked.

Every single one of my students, and a half dozen parents who attended champs with us, wants what Will.i.am said on a t-shirt. At dinner Thursday night (before he ever said what he said), around the "adult" table, one of our topics of discussion was this very issue, and every one of those parents said the f word without a blink, including a lay minister, a married couple who are practicing Presbyterians, and a Lutheran pastor whose name many people would recognize from her books and radio and television appearances.

The culture has shifted, people. You can act shocked and complain, and likely lose the attention of the students you want to reach through FRC and other activities, or you can shift with it, and make FRC relatable and relevant to a bunch of good kids with foul mouths.