Swearing in the Classroom

[Raza]

We had a case today in Constitutional Law about a man who was charged because he had worn a jacket in a courthouse corridor that expressed his feelings about the draft for the Vietnam War.

The person presenting the case (a 22 year old girl) who was hesitant to say the words on the jacket. I'd say them here, but they'd just get censored out. My professor, an older man who has been lawyering since the late 1960s, had no problem belting it out. A fair amount of the class had a good laugh at it.

I wonder what it is about the teacher/student relationship that automatically makes students feel as though they can't express themselves--or even express the facts of a case. Is it that people who haven't experienced a world outside of academics don't feel that they act as if anyone can be a peer (and I do use that term a bit loosely here, since a professor is of course not an actual peer in a professional sense, but rather a peer as a human being who is also an adult) unless they are in their immediate age group.

I once had a professor have to figuratively pull the words out of the mouth of a student--words that were essential to the defense (it ultimately failed, since fighting words, so called, are not a justification for homicide).

In the working world, I used to swear all the time. I mean, all the time. Once, an email about visitors in the office was sent out, asking workers to keep their swearing under control. It was sent to three people. I was one of them. I've sent many a blue streak across the office floor in my time. Sure, in client meetings, I kept it clean. But in the fair few one on one calls, some choice words came out.

I've sworn in the classroom before, but not when addressing the whole class (like when presenting a case). It happens, what can I say?

This article, published about a year ago, talks about the benefits of swearing:

http://www.businessinsider.com/study...healthy-2014-5

What is it about swearing, that even when the situation calls for it, people are hesitant in certain situations? I mean, they're just words. Euphemisms carry the same weight. When you're saying "Screw" something, all your'e doing is changing out letters and sounds. What makes it so much more acceptable?

I know we've discussed swearing in general before, but I guess I'm more just sharing an observation than anything else.

[M. Montaigne]

F*ck you, Raza.

[Bwana]

I have a degree in cursing, very fluent foul mouthed man-I-am...I obviously can curtail when warranted, such as children or ladies around. I'm not really sure what the problem with swearing is ?, it's just words, a form of language, a manner of conveying thought...so nothing more than bullshiit.

[hayday]

As a teacher, I can tell you that the rules can be found at the intersection of what the school district say the rules are and what the teacher does to enforce the rules. In the classroom, I do my best to evaluate the situation and act accordingly. It's human nature to curse loudly when stubbing one's toe but dropping f-boms just because is unacceptable. On a more personal level, I curse with the best of 'em but there is a time and place for everything.

-hayday

[Jato]

The F word just flows off the lips so easily. (try it now)
Been using it for years, and will continue to do so till they toss my ******* remains in the ******* ocean.
Some will say that cursing is a sign of ignorance, **** them.

[MarkO]

Your Professor was just reporting words of historical fact and in that case it is important to be accurate.

I try not to swear at my patients but will do freely after they have gone, I think it is necessary to vent sometimes.

[CamB]

Its is amazing at how good most of us at recognising when to swear and when not to.

When to- mates, work colleagues, with partner.

when not to- In front of the boss, in front of kids, in front of my parents.

Its interesting that I do not even think about it. It just has this automatic filter.

[Chronopolitano]

Deranged monkeys that people are (especially Americans), that we seem to have a deep need to have prohibitions for no good reasons.
Prohibitions for prohibitions' sake.

Louis CK made an excellent point about the N word that news anchors use. They litcherally say "... the N word...."
And he sez it is dishonest and F'd up because it causes the VIEWER to say it in his own head. I agree.

I was censored for using the R word, instead of 'mentally challenged' or whatever the F the correct word is nowadays.
And I found out only a few months ago that 'oriental' is now taboo when referring to a person from the Orient.
WTF??

WTF is the point?

I can call someone "pumpkin" or "buttercup" and mean the worst contempt thereby, or the tenderest affection.
WHO decides? Sigh. Endless moronic garbage.

But I hate rudeness though, and people who resort to foul language all the time for lack of better, more colorful and expressive words. Instead of calling someone a 'sh*t_head,' how about 'coprocap'?

But an F-bomb every now and then is, well, necessary nowadays. It just eff'in is.

[Bwana]

I can call someone "pumpkin" or "buttercup" and mean the worst contempt thereby, or the tenderest affection.

That's "cupcake" to you Bigboy

[Chronopolitano]

That's "cupcake" to you Bigboy

Why you, oleaginous chyme, you.