A 48-year-old Chicago public school teacher used the “n-word” as part of a lesson on the perils and pitfalls of racism, and it landed him a five-day suspension from his job. Now the teacher is fighting back, filing a federal lawsuit against the district and claiming that his civil rights have been violated.
Lincoln Brown, a 21-year veteran teacher and native of Chicago’s Hyde Park, used the word in his sixth grade classroom at Murray Language Academy on Oct. 4, 2011 after discovering a note that a female student was passing, which had the slur written on it citing some rap lyrics. Brown, who is white, used the note as an opportunity to teach a lesson about racism in the context of Huckleberry Finn.
In almost impeccable timing, as soon as Brown said the “n-word,” the school’s principal, George Mason, walked into the room, and the trouble started.
“This cannot be apart of who I am,” Brown said during a press conference with his attorney. “My character has been assassinated.”
Mason gave a different account of the incident and charged Brown with “using verbally abusive language to or in front of students” and “cruel, immoral, negligent or criminal conduct or communication to a student, that causes psychological or physical harm” which is in violation of the Chicago Public Schools policy. Mason disputed the context in which Brown used the n-word.
“We’ve talked about racial stereotyping and how words really shape people’s ideas of who you are,” Brown said. “I cannot tell you how much it hurts me to say that word.”
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