The reaction against the original post was way over the top. I work in education in the inner city schools, and I can tell you the problems with anti-school attitudes in certain communities goes much deeper than the students' petty rebellions--it is rooted in certain cultural attitudes shared by many, that education isn't the way out for them, because there is something flashier--sports, entertainment, crime--that can get them out of poverty and onto easy street.

Like I said, the phenomenon isn't race or ethnic based, but it sure is class based. To try and silence a discussion because someone uses the word 'negro' seems absolutely ludicrous to me. Say it offends you, if it does, and move on with the discussion. We are all adults here, and none of us needs to be dictated to by net cops about what is and isn't acceptable language or an acceptable subject to discuss.