Randall Kennedy

Anybody can go to YouTube right now, take a look.

James Baldwin said, I am not your nigger.

And then he went on to talk about that.

Well, you know, James Baldwin wasn't, again, he wasn't trying to cover up anything.

He wanted people to face the facts of American life.

And it seems to me that if you're a teacher and you want to have your students face the facts about American life, well, you've got to grapple with the word nigger.

Now, let me just quickly say, you know, teachers have a tough job.

And if we're talking about students, of course, there's a wide range of students.

Am I saying that one ought to give my book to kindergartners?

No.

You know, kindergartners are probably not ready for such a book.

Third graders, probably no, not third grade.

If we're talking, however, about people in the 10th grade, do I think the 10th graders can read my book?

Yeah, sure, absolutely.

11th graders, 12th graders, people in college.

There are people in college.

There are people in law schools.

Teachers in law schools have been disciplined.

Because the word nigger has come out of a teacher's mouth.

Why?