Disclaimer: This article is my own work and is not representative of HerCampus’s opinion in the matter.
You may have heard of the recent news involving Dr. Verushka Lieutenant-Duval, an arts professor at the University of Ottawa. Such important topics must be discussed in order to learn and be better, so let’s discuss this situation.
What Has Happened So Far
In a leaked email by a UOttawa student on Twitter, it was revealed that Professor Lieutenant-Duval used the N-Word, a black racial slur, in class while discussing words and their historical context. This issue has become a province-wide conversation over the use of N-Word in an academic environment.
The student called out Professor Lieutenant-Duval for her use of the slur, explaining how it was inappropriate for her to use as a White woman. Professor Lieutenant-Duval responded in an email saying how this has never been brought to her attention before and she apologized for any offence caused. She suggested they discuss the topic in their next class of who should be able to use the slur and when it is appropriate to be said.
Students took this to Twitter to express their disappointment and anger towards Professor Lieutenant-Duval and UOttawa’s lack of action and condemnation for the use of the slur. In a statement, President and Vice-Chancellor Jacques Frémont addressed the events and condemned racism on campus. He described the situation as “an expression of her academic freedom and she surely has the right” to speak her mind in her classroom.
This resulted in another uproar by students, causing him to release another statement in which he corrected himself by saying he “may not have sufficiently underscored the impact on our students of a word whose semantic, historical and connotative burden is so overwhelming as to make it one of the most offensive and least acceptable words” in our current society. UOttawa students did not feel as though administration took enough action to condemn racism within the classroom, and many expressed their desire for the N-Word to be banned from the classroom in general.
In another letter, other professors at the school publicly condemned racism at the University of Ottawa, but also expressed their support for Professor Lieutenant-Duval as their colleague. Similarly to Jacques Frémont’s message, they stressed the importance of freedom of speech of professors within their classroom, a point many students perceived as the lack of action in condemning racism.
This event has stirred other professors across Canada to sign their names in order to protest an N-Word ban in post-secondary institutions, earning close to 600 signatures to date. They too stress the importance of freedom of speech among professors.
My Unsolicited Thoughts
I would like to start off by saying that I am not Black. I have never experienced the same discrimination or situations as my Black counterparts, and neither will I ever experience the misfortune of such racial bias.
Because of this fact, I know it is not my place to decide whether or not it should be used in class or who should be saying it.
I believe I am impartial about the use of the N-Word in an academic context because it is still a topic the Black community is divided on. Whether or not Professor Lieutenant-Duval was within her right to use the slur, we can agree that her students took offence to the word which disrupted the diverse and safe environment students are entitled to and that UOttawa strives to provide.
I do not believe that Professor Lieutenant-Duval is racist. I do believe she was ignorant in a subject area in which it is vital for a professor to be educated on.
What I do disagree with is the demand for Professor Lieutenant-Duval to be disciplined. I say this, not because I agree with her actions (I firmly condemn racism in all its forms) but rather because we are taking action in the wrong direction.
I hold the unpopular opinion that Professor Lieutenant-Duval handled an awful situation in the best way manageable. She did not dismiss her student’s concerns simply because she herself believed she was within her right to use the N-Word, but rather thanked her for bringing it to her attention because that had not been done so before. Professor Lieutenant-Duval suggested discussing in their next class if and when the N-Word should be used.
I truly believe Professor Lieutenant-Duval responded in the ideal way. Her response was more than simply agreeing or disagreeing with her student’s concerns, it was I’ve never heard this before, so let’s talk about it.
This seems to be the toxicity of cancel culture and band-wagon hate at works. Should she lose her job for this? Or rather should we encourage her to be better? Could she have said or done more from the situation she put herself in?
Students are angry, and it is rightfully so – her mistake has set a new precedent and standard for professors across Canada. Although it is easy to blame Professor Lieutenant-Duval, where should we be directing our energy? At her? UOttawa?
I see this as an important conversation turned into a boycott. We shouldn’t be angry – we should be eager to do better and eager to learn.
Now is the right time to be educating your friends and family on the N-Word. What does it mean? Is this a word we should be using? How can we be more sensitive to such issues?
I agree that the University of Ottawa must be better suited to handle such incidents involving race. They have yet to address the situation with the sensitivity and understanding it requires. Professor Lieutenant-Duval was not racist, so we should not be treating her situation as such. Instead, she was not subtle in addressing a topic that requires sensitivity.
In an ideal world, I would propose the idea of a panel composed of Black UOttawa administration and professors to decide whether or not the N-Word should be used in the world of academia at our school. UOttawa seems to stand filming behind their tenet of free speech.
This has brought on powerful discussion about racism at the University at Ottawa and ensuring that Black students feel comfortable on campus. These conversations are necessary in learning to be better and moving forward in a progressive society. So, let’s talk about it.