Freaking out and scared.

[b7eema]

I was substitute teaching at a local public high school yesterday, and I overheard a senior student talking about his basketball coach. He said, "I hate him. He's such a Jew." To say that I was shocked would be the understatement of the century. Not insulted. Not offended. Just shocked and horrified. Because you see, this particular coach is not Jewish. Doesn't look Jewish, and doesn't have a remotely Jewish sounding name. Just to be sure that this wasn't a run-of-the-mill case of anti-Semitism, I asked him, "Are you saying that your basketball coach is Jewish?" His response was, "Nah, I don't think so. He's just a Jew. You know, it's just a word for someone you don't like." I, of course, explained why this was an inappropriate ethnic slur and he argued that there was nothing wrong with it, and everyone uses the word that way. He said that he had used it in front of a Jewish friend before who called him on it at first, but then said that it was okay. I don't know if that was true or not, but what I do feel fairly confident about is the fact that this kid is not an anti-Semite. "Jew" is just a word to him. A word that means, "Jerk" or "Creep."

I am a linguist at heart. I know how language works. This kid may not have anything against Jews, but his children, and their children won't know that. They will only associate the word "Jew" with the way they have heard it used, and once that environment exists, a new holocaust is imminent. And in case you're wondering, I asked around in that school. Even asking a student who is a responsible, straight-A teacher's aide, and they all acknowledged having heard the word used that way. However, neither the Assistant Principal I reported it to, nor any of the other teachers acknowledged being aware of it being used that way.

I am not sure what else, if anything, I can do.