A Helpful Lesson or Anti-Academic?

Standard classroom rules in schools generally encourage raising hands, showing respect, and following instructions. However, a new rule proposed by some teachers has generated significant online debate: banning slang in classrooms.

Angela Santalo, a middle school science teacher at a Catholic private school in Miami, found it necessary to prohibit slang in her classroom. In March, she shared a TikTok video presenting a list of forbidden words, including “skibidi toilet” and “rizz.”

“As the year continues to go on, I’m going to add more to this list, but if you’re in my class, I don’t want to hear this,” Santalo stated. “If you say any of these words, infraction. We’re all intelligent, so let’s start sounding intelligent.”

Many teachers resonated with her stance. “6th grade teacher here 100% agree!!” commented one user. Santalo explained that she created the list because her students were frequently using this slang in her class.

“All the grades collectively were saying it,” Santalo told USA TODAY, referencing her sixth, seventh, and eighth graders. “I had to do what I had to do to put an end to it because I was hearing it an insane amount of times. I had to step in.”

Earlier this year, a photo circulated online showing a ban list from an unidentified teacher, which included phrases like “Just vibe,” “standing on business,” “you ate that up,” and “cap.” Violating this list could result in students writing a short essay.

“The gibberish some of you choose to use is improper English and sometimes inappropriate for an academic setting,” the teacher stated. “This is an educational institution, and you will carry yourself as scholars.”

According to a recent survey by Preply, 78% of kindergarten to 12th-grade teachers believe they should regulate students’ language in the educational setting. However, 2 in 5 teachers opposed bans on slang in their classrooms.

Experts argue that such rules could disproportionately affect Black and other students of color. Though much of the slang comes from TikTok, some words also originate from African American Vernacular English (AAVE).

“It just baffles me how each and every year, we find new ways to punish students, particularly Black students,” said Dr. Bettina Love, a professor at Teachers College, Columbia University. “This is just another form of punishment. It’s another punitive and anti-Black measure in our schools.”

“Why can’t we teach students that we can have various ways of speaking? Instead of banning it, you could explain formal writing for interviews versus informal speech. When you ban something, it means there’s punishment on the other end.”

Matthew Kay, a high school teacher in Philadelphia, cherishes the moments when students can express themselves freely using familiar language.

“We’ll be discussing a book, and a student might shout, ‘Yo, that’s cap.’ And I’ll say, ‘Tell me more,'” Kay recounted.

“This discourse poisons beautiful classroom moments,” he added.

The Preply survey indicated that 36% of teachers believe allowing students to use slang respects their cultural identity. According to Love, when teachers ban this privilege, “you’re telling them that their culture is less than and should be banned.”

“Language evolves, and to outright ban an evolution of language in class is silly,” Kay said. “It’s an anti-academic stance disguised as something academic.”

Santalo’s goal is for students to choose their words more wisely in her class. She notes that most banned words stem from random memes rather than cultural, racial, or ethnic significance. She has observed an improvement since implementing the ban.

“Banning it taught them self-control. It showed them that the classroom is a place for learning, not for making a show or making people laugh,” Santalo explained.

Love believes that educational discussions should focus on more pressing issues such as teacher shortages, student attendance issues post-COVID-19, hair discrimination, and aggressive dress codes affecting students of color.

The survey revealed that nearly 50% of teachers are open to learning slang. On TikTok, teachers help each other understand popular slang terms. Kay often asks students for context clues, which become conversation starters.

“We have many larger issues in education; I can’t imagine wasting time on slang,” Kay commented, echoing Love’s sentiments.

Love emphasized that teachers need to evolve and understand their students to engage with them better.

“Teachers should go out and learn it on their own. Understanding your students can help bridge the cultural disconnect,” she said.

Source: USA TODAY