Santiago – Deliberating Shared Language

Santiago is an associate professor of ethnic studies teaching a first-year seminar that integrates popular literature from writers of the Antebellum South as a method for comparing, analyzing and problematizing historical and contemporary anti-black narratives.

Many of the assigned readings include characters who use pejorative terms to describe black people and other people of color. At the same time that Santiago is finalizing his course plan, he is made aware of a student activist movement on campus to confront and eliminate such pejorative terms from the classroom and curriculum in an effort to create a campus environment that is more affirming and inclusive of people of color.

Santiago is sympathetic to the students’ cause but is also conflicted. Santiago resonates with the students’ feelings, and at the same time feels that such words should be engaged to learn from history and develop rigorous critical thinking skills to prepare future leaders.

Santiago is apprehensive about broaching the topic, but he decides the best course of action is to engage the students in dialogue about the use of such terms at the beginning of class. In addition to acknowledging that these terms are in the literature, Santiago explores with his students how they want to wield such terms, when and how to utter them and explore other group norms to maintain a productive learning environment. Santiago finds the dialogue quickly engages his students in the course content. In addition to reaching a shared agreement and understanding, Santiago observes that starting class with such a conversation improves student participation overall and built a foundation for thoughtful, vulnerable and challenging dialogue.

Key Take-Aways
  • The Issue: Santiago is made aware of a student movement to eliminate pejorative racial slurs from the curriculum and classroom discussions as he finalizes a course plan to engage such terms as a function of critical historical analysis of anti-black narratives. Santiago is ambivalent about what to do as he holds mutual respect for his students’ feelings and the value of engaging difficult content in pursuit of deep learning and cognitive development.
  • The Deliberation: Santiago pushes through his anxiousness and broaches the conversation with his students on the first day of class. He opens a dialogue about how they want to engage with pejorative terms as they relate to the course goals.
  • The Growth: Santiago finds that he is capable of facilitating difficult dialogues and is affirmed to find that beginning his class with an exploration of group norms improves student engagement overall.