Offensive vocabulary word; what do you think?

"Mongoloid" commonly refers to those of Asian descent. Though it may have alternative definitions which are incindiary, it is not itself an offensive term.

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That teacher should get herself a dictionary. It is considered an offensive term. It is no longer considered technically appropriate to use with that definition and if it were, it would be lowercase.

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Mongoloid in my experience is an offensive word for people with Downs Syndrome. It's on the same level as calling someone a "retard." Just because it's a word that our grandmothers used, doesn't mean that the times haven't changed (just think about all the ethnic slurs that used to be common, I can think of several just off the top of my head that people would be horrified about). Anyways, if I were the mother I wouldn't let the teacher just blow me of, and I would certainly express my concerns with using a word like that and teaching it to my children.

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If it is an offensive term you take it up the food chain until you get a response more suitable to an offenisve term, if it were (insert any offesive term here) it would not be tolerated - there is no room for letting things like that pass.

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Raquella, that would be "Mongolian". Mongloid is a slur against those with Downs Syndrome,

I bet the teacher's mother called Jews kikes back in the day too but you can bet your bippy it's not acceptable now!

I would go to the principal, the board of ed and the state reps and the media all at the same time. That teacher needs to be censured and required to take sensitivity training.

(And, I'm sorry I said that word, but, somehow, as unacceptable as it is, it seemed to be marginally less offensive than the "n" word. It's a bloody shame I even know those racial slurs.)

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I'll second that it is an Asian race. But I'll also second that she goes to the principal, the schoolboard, and the media.

The term Mongoloid race or Mongoloid sometimes referred to as "Sinoid", "Mongolid" or "Xanthrochroid"[2] or Asio-American[3] or Eastern Eurasian[4], is most used in discussions of human prehistory, historical definitions of race and in the forensic analysis of human remains. Out of the three main races as defined in craniofacial anthropology, the Mongoloid race is the second most populous with 33% of the world's population.[5]

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I agree. Take it to the principal. Don't let it slide.

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"the teacher basically blew her off, saying that it was a word that her grandmother used plenty of times"

The words I heard used growing up were "Mongolian" closely followed by the word "idiot". Of course it's offensive.

There were many words used when I was growing up in the late 40's and 50's (and even later) which we now know to be offensive and hurtful. This is one of the worst and that teacher should have known better, regardless of what her granny might have said.

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I'm the mom in question, and I really appreciate the comments, and thank Rachel for blogging this. I have my head so much in special-needs stuff that I'm not always sure when I'm being oversensitive. The teacher clearly thought I was; it's good to read that others are appalled, too.

I just wanted to add that Raquella's not wrong about "Mongoloid" referring to someone of Asian descent, though my dictionary tells me that's considered "somewhat offensive," too. My understanding is that it was first used to describe kids with what would later become Down syndrome because the Europeans so designating it considered the Mongoloid race to be of inferior intellect, so the children's different facial features and cognitive challenges were thought to make them seem "Mongoloid." One of the reasons it was eventually retired as a name for Down syndrome is because it was offensive to Asians -- so there's offense upon offense here.

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Mamaloo, you (almost literally) took the words right out of my mouth. Thank you. I, too, am sorry that I know such words; I truly hope my kids won't.

Terri, you're not being oversensitive at all. That is a word that we should be working to *remove* from the vocabulary, not perpetuate its use. The teacher should be censured. I would definitely make a big stink. Your kid may know better, but what about the rest of the kids in the class? And her students next year? This should be stopped.

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I do believe that the word is offensive and should not be a name used to describe anyone with down's syndrome or anything of that matter. However.....in the teacher's defense if it was a word that was often noted in the story then the kids are reading it anyway....shouldn't they know they definition. Or should we just ban all books with words containing harmful words or thoughts?

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1. The teacher is wrong. Her grandmother probably called people "Colored" or "Negro", but we don't do that now. Those words have picked up pejorative connotations, and are no longer acceptable.

2. Miss K, I agree. However, it should be noted on the vocabulary sheet that the word is offensive. And using it in a sentence? Thoughtless.

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Miss K, I do think that is what the teacher is thinking, and it may be why she reacted as she did. But I want to make it really clear that I am NOT saying they shouldn't read the book, or that they shouldn't discuss the word. Absolutely, discuss it in class in the context of the story and its time. But to me, anyway, especially in a language arts class, a vocabulary list should consist of words you want to add to your vocabulary. You can discuss that word as a point of information without encouraging kids to memorize it. I think kids should read "Huckleberry Finn," but there are words in there I wouldn't want to see on a vocab list either.

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Mongoloid is in fact a race. As is caucasoid and negroid. It's a shame that the teacher isn't teaching definitions properly. I prefer to call it trisomy 21.

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I volunteer in the NeoNatal Intensive Care Nursery at a major Childrens Hospital. We care for many, many Down Syndrome babies. I can assure you that using the term Mongoloid when refering to one of these babies is hurtful, offensive and thoughtless. Teri, go to the principal and let him or her know what happened. The behavior of the teacher is reprehensiable and must be changed.

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Well, such terms are not of themselves necessarily pejorative. They have come to carry a negative connotation. "Negro" for instance is a perfectly good word, in and of itself, as is "Mongoloid", properly used. It would have been a good thing for this teacher to discuss the current connotation of the word, and also use this as a discussion point for how all such words must be used only as appropriate, and with sensitivity to the feelings of others. The teacher is not only dense, but lacking in the broad view of education. I suspect she isn't a very good teacher in general. Red

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Miss K. I don't believe in banning books and I don't think that was the issue. Once an offensive word is encountered, such as in this case or Huckleberry Finn, the teacher should explain that the word was common at the time the book was written but is not acceptable today (and then tell the class the definition and what the correct word is today.

If I read the post correctly, this teacher defended including the word on a vocabulary test and didn't know or didn't care that it's offensive. The vocabulary test gives that word a status it doesn't deserve.

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As the mother of a child with Down Syndrome who did extensive research when he was born, if anyone in this day and age called my son a Mongoloid they would SURELY have to answer to me!

Tiffany

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It's vital that students understand that such words are derogatory and shouldn't be used, but the books shouldn't be banned either. Mongoloid, cripple, Negro, colored, retarded, etc. are all a part of the vocabulary we have used - part of our history. Learn what it means. Learn it's outdated and offensive, but constructing a sentence using them is truly offensive.

I was born with congenital spina bifida and have always used a wheelchair. To refer to me, if you have to label me at all, as handicapped, disabled, physically impaired, physically challenged is okay. Calling me a "cripple" is offensive and hurts. But, that doesn't mean that my son shouldn't learn that it was a common, acceptable phrase years ago.

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Don't argue it if you don't have a bloody fucking clue what you are talking about. Any half wit can tell you "Mongolian" is what you call people from Mongolia.

As for the term in question..I am an anthropologist and can say difinitively that Mongoloid has jack squat to do with down syndrom. It means people of the Asian race. Just as Negroid is the scientific term for people of the African race, Caucasoid is the term for the European race, and Australoid is the term for the Australian race.

Research...It does a mind good.

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