Political Correctness Run Amok

[Domo]

Get this.

Over here, you can't say "blackboard" or "whiteboard" as they are, apparently, racist terms.

Now it's "chalkboard" and "penboard".

Who seriously is offended by "blackboard"?

 

[Ben E N]

That's just ignorant.
Similarly, I had to spend 5 minutes of a science lesson to explain the meaning of black Friday, because kids just couldn't get how it wasn't about race. I guess it's my fault for pointing out the days left until winter break.

 

[HeatherC]

It is out of control ridiculous.

 

[L&Lfan]

I hate political correctness.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Honestly, I'm so glad I'm no longer teaching. We had "blackboards" and "whiteboards", and I even used a red pen to correct. Now, in many schools all of those are not allowed. And we said the Pledge of Allegiance, complete with "Under God" every morning.

 

[porschegrl]

Do you have a source for this claim? Everything I can find online points to it being urban myth.

 

[SgtTibbs]

Do you have a source for this claim? Everything I can find online points to it being urban myth.

Fact Checking. Now that's what we need more of. Too many people, occasionally myself included, read some inflammatory comment and mount their high horse without checking the veracity of the comment.

 

[Oliviaxxx]

I believe it.

 

[SgtTibbs]

I believe it.

Why? A few quick searches easily turns up many sources showing this particular story is an urban myth. Note how the original source posted has almost no details. What school? When? It's presented as first hand knowledge but I suspect it is sourced second or third hand from somewhere else.

 

[Oliviaxxx]

Why? A few quick searches easily turns up many sources showing this particular story is an urban myth. Note how the original source posted has almost no details. What school? When? It's presented as first hand knowledge but I suspect it is sourced second or third hand from somewhere else.

Why? Because I am allowed to think for myself? With all the things people are claiming is offensive now. I don't doubt that someone claimed that word offensive or wrong. Just heard this past week that a cowboy costume was offensive and should be banned. I also heard some crazy months ago claiming you need consent from your toddler to change their diaper. So no I'm not exactly shocked by the blackboard claim.

 

[Domo]

Actually, I'm a teacher and have been warned to use "appropriate" language.

 

[SgtTibbs]

Why? Because I am allowed to think for myself? With all the things people are claiming is offensive now. I don't doubt that someone claimed that word offensive or wrong. Just heard this past week that a cowboy costume was offensive and should be banned. I also heard some crazy months ago claiming you need consent from your toddler to change their diaper. So no I'm not exactly shocked by the blackboard claim.

Fact Check: Consent to change a diaper.

Fact Check: Cowboy costume - This one seems stem from the University of Colorado-Bolder. The dean of students wrote ""If you are planning to celebrate Halloween by dressing up in a costume, consider the impact your costume decision may have on others in the CU community". So it was not a ban per-say. While "Cowboys" were mentioned on a sizable list of possibly offensive costumes, The undergraduate student body president had this to say: "The letter did not specify which costumes it deemed inappropriate. But message was clear: Use common sense."

I when I think for myself I like to have the facts.

 

[SgtTibbs]

Actually, I'm a teacher and have been warned to use "appropriate" language.

Sounds like sound advice for pretty much everyone. Were you specifically instructed not to use white and black board? What was the source of your comment?

 

[Oliviaxxx]

Fact Check: Consent to change a diaper.

Fact Check: Cowboy costume - This one seems stem from the University of Colorado-Bolder. The dean of students wrote ""If you are planning to celebrate Halloween by dressing up in a costume, consider the impact your costume decision may have on others in the CU community". So it was not a ban per-say. While "Cowboys" were mentioned on a sizable list of possibly offensive costumes, The undergraduate student body president had this to say: "The letter did not specify which costumes it deemed inappropriate. But message was clear: Use common sense."

I when I think for myself I like to have the facts.

Oh honey did you see the actual news clip about the diaper issue? You didn't. LOL! I find it cute how you researched my claims. Slow night at your house? Political Correctness is ruining this country. Have a good night!

 

[Oliviaxxx]

Sounds like sound advice for pretty much everyone. Were you specifically instructed not to use white and black board? What was the source of your comment?

Do you want an APA format in quotes next time? Or do you prefer MLA? Do my articles need to be peer reviewed? Do I need a cover page? LOL!

 

[SgtTibbs]

Oh honey did you see the actual news clip about the diaper issue? You didn't. LOL! I find it cute how you researched my claims. Slow night at your house? Political Correctness is ruining this country. Have a good night!

Can you provide a Link? I'd love to read it.

 

[SgtTibbs]

Do you want an APA format in quotes next time? Or do you prefer MLA? Do my articles need to be peer reviewed? Do I need a cover page? LOL!

No a simple discourse is sufficient. I'm just curious if the specific case of black and white boards you cited was a first hand experience at your school or something you read about that happened somewhere else.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Honestly, I'm so glad I'm no longer teaching. We had "blackboards" and 0"whiteboards", and I even used a red pen to correct. Now, in many schools all of those are not allowed. And we said the Pledge of Allegiance, complete with "Under God" every morning.

I still teach.

The Pledge is said in my school (public, urban school in NYC)each day. I don't say it and I do not force my students to say it.

I covered my blackboard with white contact paper. It is now a giant whiteboard that I can use dry erase markers on.

This is the first time I have heard of either word being offensive.
Add me to the list of folks calling bull on this topic.

It looks like it is about time for us to start screaming about the "war" on Christmas.

 

[cobright]

Here's the thing. I doubt anyone other than a handful of college students have ever even thought to complain about calling the demonstration display a blackboard or whiteboard.
Leave that aside for the sake of argument; suppose a vocal but small group of people would be more comfortable, for whatever reason, if we called them chalkboard and pen boards. Other than you not wanting to change what you call something, why not?

Objectively speaking, chalkboard is a better term. Not all chalkboard are black. All of them in my grade school were green. Likewise, pen board or dry erase designates the board by how it's used instead of a superficial description. The only argument I can see against this us a purely dogmatic one, "I've always called it ____, and I don't want to change."

Yeah, I dont like political correctness when it goes so far that it prevents human beings from interacting civilly, or when it is used as a social weapon, or used as a really weak strawman argument by groups opposed to diversity.

Whatever the case, there's a line where PC has gone too far. But chalkboard and dry erase boards are just better terms. This particular "PC run amok" argument is just weak sauce.

Minor addendum... Citizens of nations which have benefited greatly from colonialism, slavery, and wars of territorial conquest* should wait until they have successfully lobbied their own governments to give back the full fair market value of what they stole before declaring what other should or shouldn't offend other groups of people.

*- It is not lost on me that this criteria described most identifiable groups of modern humans.

 

[disneychrista]

Haven't they always been chalk boards & dry erase boards?