MUN prof's use of racial slur in lecture highlights systemic problem, say anti-racism advocates

Newfoundland and Labrador anti-racism advocates are calling for systemic change in response to a video of a Memorial University professor using a racial slur during a lecture.

In the video, assistant professor Sandrine Jean of the anthropology department reads from a slide titled "Systems of Power and Languages," which includes the N-word as part of an example of derogatory language. The word is spelled out and Sandrine utters it while reading off the slide.

Laurabel Mba, a Newfoundland and Labrador social activist, told CBC News she posted the video of the prerecorded lecture on Twitter on Wednesday after a student in the course sent her the video.

"I was taken aback..… I was like, 'this can't be real. This is not a MUN lecture.'" Mba said. "I was shocked, and then I was confused and a little disappointed.… I was very disappointed that this was what happened."

The fact the word wasn't used in a derogatory manner, Mba said, doesn't mean it can't cause harm.

"Hearing those words does automatically cause a gasp moment for a lot of Black people," she said.

Mba said she shared the video to highlight the need for teaching practices that take into account all students in the classroom and the trauma associated with certain words.

"This is a word that does appear in literature. It is part of history. If you're going to be teaching these things, you need to know how to do it without inflicting more trauma on the students that are going to be in your classroom," she said.

In reply to Mba's tweet, Memorial University apologized and said the matter is under investigation.

"We are deeply sorry our students experienced anti-Black racism in a classroom. Anti-Black racism is a systemic issue, and Memorial is committed to redressing anti-Black racism, and to fostering Black inclusion on our campuses, and in our curriculum," said the university in a statement Thursday.

Mba said she isn't calling for the resignation or termination of the professor, but does want to see MUN implement anti-racism education and anti-discriminatory education.

"There's a way to pass on education and information without being harmful, and it's for our institutions to figure out what that looks like," she said.

CBC News has asked the professor to comment but has not yet received a response. In an email, the Memorial University of Newfoundland Faculty Association said it is aware of the situation but was not ready to comment.

Raven Khadeja, an anti-racism educator and the co-founder and co-president of Black Lives Matter Newfoundland and Labrador, says the incident is part of a pattern in higher education and the K-12 system.