This thread just reminds me when I was in grade 4 (I think 1988?) and a kid in my class brought a small bag of candy to school. You know the "surprise bag" you'd get for 50 cents. Anyways, he started pulling candy out and eating it and I saw him pull out the black licorice that was shaped as a baby. I was like 9 and I had been with my grandfather recently and when he went to get gas or smokes, bought candy back to the truck with him and when he offered me that same black baby licorice he, being 70 years old, said "want a n****r baby"?
So when my friend in grade 4 pulled out that same licorice candy I recall him not knowing what it was or looking at it in a way that made me say "thats a n*****r baby".. My teacher over heard and holy cow did I get into trouble....
I had no idea what that word or phrase meant.. I couldn't even tell you if I ever heard it before my grandfather offered me that candy recently.. I definitely didn't know what it meant nor that calling that type of candy by those words was referring to the color of it. My teacher and principal did not even explain to me what I said that was wrong or why what I said was wrong.. I left school that day not even knowing anything more than I did the day before..
I recall getting yelled at by my teacher and my principal.. I recall sitting there feeling like shit and holding back tears because they were pretty harsh with me and did not hold back with the yelling. I sat there holding tears back not even knowing wtf I did and just wanting them to stop.. You didn't dare say a word back to them because it would just get worse.. and I recall that I still didn't even know what I did wrong or what racist even meant..
Either way, I recall carefully going home to my parents and trying to judge, without asking, if the school had called home or not.. I didn't think they did, so I didn't say a word..
My son is about the same age as I was now.. I'm so glad, in general, adults aren't like this anymore with kids..
