Slurs, Offensive Jokes and How to Respond

GRADE LEVEL: Middle School, High School

COMMON CORE STANDARDS: Reading, Speaking and Listening, Language

Over the past several years, there have been several incidents of elected officials using slurs in public. In 2024, a Texas County Party Chair was under fire after he wrote several social media posts where he repeatedly called his political opponents slurs for gay people and people with disabilities. Also in 2024, a Maryland congressman who was running for U.S. Senate used a racist slur during a hearing on Capitol Hill. In 2021, an Alabama City Council member faced calls to resign after using the N-word during a council meeting. It seems that slurs, epithets and offensive jokes are part of our everyday lives and many people are unsure what to say or do when confronted with this offensive language.

About the Lesson Plan

This lesson provides an opportunity for students to learn more about the situation with Senator Artiles, explore their thoughts and feelings about different slurs and offensive jokes that they hear online and in school and explore possible responses to slurs when they hear them.

Learning Objectives:

• Students will reflect on slurs and offensive jokes and language and their impact.
• Students will explore their opinions, thoughts and feelings about slurs and offensive language in their own lives.
• Students will consider words and phrases to use when responding to slurs and offensive language.