MR. ISAIAH
So, with all my thinking, I... I just became very curious with, with what’s your experience with the word...

He writes a word on the board: N I G G E R. The class all laughs.

MR. ISAIAH
I want you all to write about the word nigger. Specifically, the first time you heard the word.

JAMAL
Wait, what?! You want us ta write ‘bout bein’ niggas? What kind of discrimination you teachin’?

MR. ISAIAH
I want you to write about the first time you heard the word nigger. ‘E.R.’ ending. What did it do to you? How did it make you feel?

BASHIR
Niggaaaaaaa!

Boys laugh.

MR. ISAIAH
Everybody say it.

(silence)

What y’all scared? Say nigga. Y’all already say it and probably hear it more than your names. Say nigga.

(silence)

NIGGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Boys all look at Mr. Isaiah as if he’s crazy as shit.

MR. ISAIAH
Yeah, I’m a crazy nigga. Nigga Isaiah. You know me, nigga. You Nigga Bashir and you Nigga Jamal. You Nigga David. You Nigga Antoine and you Nigga Eddie.

JAMAL
Yooooooo. You is crazy as shit.

MR. ISAIAH
No, I’m just like you. When someone looks at both of us they see the same thing. And I want you to write about that. Write about the first time you heard the word ‘nigger.’ Go. You all have 5 minutes.

No one moves.

MR. ISAIAH
We can just do what my actual lesson plan says we’re doing; what Mr. Cartwright thinks we’re doing right now. If y’all would rather learn about persuasive essays, we can.

The boys all take out their notebooks and begin to write.

MR. ISAIAH
Again, your prompt is to write about the first time you heard the word ‘nigger.’ You can write it as a free verse or challenge yourself and write it in the form of a haiku, a cinquain, or something that will stretch you.

Several silent (writing) moments go by, then:

MR. ISAIAH
I’ll start. I chose a cinquain for mine.

Nigger
I was seven
Playing with GI Joes
This white boy called it a nigger I laughed

JAMAL
You ain’t punch whitey in da face?

MR. ISAIAH
I just laughed. He was calling it a nigger so much I started thinking that was its name. Later on, I asked my mom could I get a nigger for my birthday.

Boys all laugh.

MR. ISAIAH
It’s funny now, but not when she popped me in the mouth.