Dear Academic Equity Committee,
I’m a teacher candidate, and during my clinical placement I’ve heard students make comments that caught me off guard. In one instance, a student said, “Women’s sports suck. That’s why no one watches them.” In another, a student told a classmate, “You better watch out – you’re gonna get deported,” and other students laughed.
I know I shouldn’t just let comments like these pass, but I’m still figuring out what to say in the moment. I also don’t want to embarrass a student or shut down conversation. How can I respond in a way that addresses the comment while still creating an opportunity for students to learn?
Academic Equity Committee
There isn’t one perfect response to every difficult classroom comment. Sometimes curiosity can help students interrogate an assumption; other times, particularly when another student has been targeted, the moment calls for a clearer interruption before curiosity. In either case, the goal is not to win an exchange or label a student – it is to address the impact of the comment while creating opportunities for reflection, perspective-taking, and continued learning.
When a comment invites an assumption to be examined (Jenn Jacobs)
If a student says, “Women’s sports just suck. That’s why nobody watches them,” try responding with curiosity: “Let’s pause there. What makes you say they suck? What does that mean to you?” Make the comment, rather than the student, the object of examination. Ask what assumptions are underneath it and whether they hold across sports, athletes, media coverage and access to resources. Then widen the lens: “What might it feel like to have your sport consistently treated as less valuable?” Give students room to reconsider rather than demanding an immediate apology.
Why it works: It challenges an assumption without making the student the problem, using curiosity and perspective-taking to invite examination, reconsideration and learning.
When a comment targets someone else (Eric Junco)
If a student tells a classmate, “You better watch out – you’re gonna get deported,” the immediate need may be different. Pause and regulate your own reaction, but don’t let the moment pass. Clearly interrupt the comment: “Let’s pause there. Even if you meant that as a joke, a comment like that can make someone feel singled out or unwelcome.” Then, when appropriate, state the boundary that those types of comments are unacceptable in our classroom and school community and follow up with curiosity: “What made that seem funny?” or “How might someone with a different experience hear that?” Leave room afterward for reflection and repair rather than humiliation.
Why it works: It establishes a boundary around harm while leaving space for curiosity, perspective-taking, accountability and continued belonging.
Want some language ready for the moment?
The Speak Up at School Guide offers four responses to everyday stereotypes and bias – Interrupt, Question, Educate and Echo – along with actual language educators can use. For example, its questioning prompts include “What do you mean?” and “Tell me more,” while “Echo” encourages educators to reinforce someone else who has already spoken up.
→ Visit https://www.splcenter.org/resources/reports/speak-up-at-school/.
The Silence Breakers are particularly useful when the educator isn’t quite sure what to say. They normalize beginning imperfectly with language such as “I just felt something shift in the room” and “Can you help me understand…?” or paraphrasing what you heard and checking whether you understood correctly.
→ Visit https://robindiangelo.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Silence-Breakers-for-Whites.pdf.
- Let’s keep the conversation going! Email your questions to COE_Equity@niu.edu.
- Academic Equity Committee members are Daryl Dugas (LILT) Mike Manderino (CI), Joe Curran (KNPE), James Cohen (CI), Joseph Flynn (CI), Dana Isawi (CAHE), Jenn Jacobs (KNPE), Laura Ruth Johnson (LILT), Eric Junco (CI) and Molly Pasley (SEED).
