I was outside with my students on a beautiful spring day. When spring had finally arrived, requests to meet outside were almost daily. Every year this happens. Human needs are predictable, including my own, so I try to comply as much as possible. Right outside my classroom window is a courtyard with shade and tables.
On this one day, a student was in the neighboring parking lot separated visually by a wire fence with privacy slats. We heard a conversation then a gigantic outburst with the F word.
"Watch your language," I bantered back.
"I'm sorry," the voice called back.
"Thank you."
I can not explain why this expletive is so offensive. One resource says it was born that way, and others say it was created and became. I quit searching for an answer when reading the word over and over again became painful. Is it a construct of collective minds, a construct of its historical origins, or am I just a word-prude, along with centuries of people?
My children say they don't hear the word when they watch movies. I hear it and turn it off.
In a position of authority at school, I was justified, even obligated to correct the boy who screamed from the other side.
In other public places, I don't have a right to interfere with another person's freedom of speech. So we tolerate rough language.
Last week, when we were kayaking the river, we came upon a group of young adults in inner tubes. Under some mild stress, one young man kept yelling the expletive.
Tony and I smiled at each other and paddled faster.
Today, on our hike to Blood Lake, we were behind a large group of youth. We worried about hiking so close, about getting past them so we would have peace on the trail. But we didn't rush, and we never heard them until we reached the lake and they were on the other side. They were jumping into the cold water, swimming, and acting like kids should act. We were drawn to their joy, and so we didn't stop from hiking around the lake.
Their banter was happy and contagious. And completely void of any expletives.
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