Mispronouncing Student’s Name Now Considered a ‘Microaggression’

[matt267 PE]

According to this article (http://www.cnsnews.com/blog/amy-furr/mispronouncing-students-name-now-considered-microaggression):

 “Mispronouncing a student’s name truly negates his or her identity, which, in turn, can hinder academic progress,”

The Washoe County School District in Reno, Nevada is one of 528 school districts across the country that have recently implemented a campaign to “pronounce students’ names correctly” - including names teachers and administrators find difficult or unfamiliar - in order to be sensitive to the ancestral and historical significance of a child’s name.  

I'm now left to wonder what I could have achieved in life if my teachers weren't so insensitive to my Italian-American culture.

The "g" is silent people!!! What the hell is wrong with you? All these years I've been left not knowing who I am. I feel a great deal of deep sadness knowing that my daughter's will grow up with the same identity issues while being held back academically. Until I read this article, I had no idea I was a victim. I remember one time when my brother and I were kids. We were at a school award ceremony and the teachers mispronounced our last name so badly that my brother didn't even know they were calling him. Can you imagine? He was like the only one that didn't get a certificate. I bet he doesn't even know how hurt he is.

Thank you Washoe County School District. Thank you for looking out for the fragile feels of the worlds children. But screw you for being 35 years too late. How dare you fail to take action to protect me and my brother. He didn't get his certificate you selfish dicks.

 

[jeb6294]

Their names need to be spelled correctly when they all get their participation trophies also.

 

[Supe]

People routinely mispronounce my name with a soft O instead of a hard O (think "moth" vs. "both").  Can I add all those "microaggressions" up into big ones, and call my actions moving forward self-defense?

 

[willsee]

 

[snickerd3]

dude i grew up with people butchering my last name both in saying and spelling.  

 

[csb]

Here's the thing- we have a guy at work who mispronounces people's names to be an ass. My mother-in-law has purposefully misspelled my name because she's an ass. There is power in names. 

That said, I'm not permananently scarred by this, but it is a power play. 

 

[matt267 PE]

And there is a difference between being a ass and making a mistake or just not being able to pronounce a sound. 

 

[csb]

For sure. I'm not saying that trying to figure out how to say "Alicia" or "Bertagnoli" the first time should be perfect, but if someone tells you, "It's ah-lee-cee-ah," and you continue to say, "Ah-lish-ah," you are either too dumb to learn simple things or you are gunning for something else. 

 

[SNAPE/SMOTT PE]

Stop coming up with unique ways to spell your kids name, and/or unique names! Or STFU about the name being mispronounced!

On the other hand, I ask people how to say their name when I'm in doubt.

 

[matt267 PE]

Bertagnoli

Is the "g" silent?

 

[csb]

The "g" is silent people!!! What the hell is wrong with you?

Is the "g" silent?

What the hell is wrong with you?

 

[matt267 PE]

It's called microaggression. It's a new thing.

 

[csb]

It's just a new word for asshole. 

 

[wilheldp_PE]

I guess that 1st graders are going to have to provide a phonetic spelling of their name to the teacher prior to the first roll call so that they don't accidentally get discriminated against.

I was selling my car to CarMax, and a very nice lady was doing the paperwork for me.  At one point, I had to talk to a loan officer to give permission for them to discuss loan information with the CarMax lady.  The loan officer asked me the name of the person they could speak with.  I looked at the CarMax lady's name tag, and it read "Ayshia."  I straight up asked her "how do you pronounce your name?"  Turns out, it was Asia.  If I had guessed, it would have been more along the lines of Ayeisha.  

Now imagine a teacher facing a class of 30+ kids with probably half of them having names like that.  I can understand it being assholish at best, and perhaps discriminatory, to mis-pronounce a student's name for a whole year/semester, but to expect a teacher to nail the pronunciation on their first try is asinine. 

 

[snickerd3]

maybe that is why reading programs are now HEAVY on the phonics.  

 

[knight1fox3]

Phonetic pronunciation was a must in grad school, especially during the commencement ceremony. As an example, here was one of my colleague's names:

Sadatgoltabarestani, Seyedmehdi

Any takers on a first shot pronunciation?

 

[Audi Driver P.E.]

My name is Randy.  It's pronounced ah'-sum.

 

[snickerd3]

I don't know how to phonetically spell...the last name i would have said   sigh ed meh dee

 

[Supe]

Phonetic pronunciation was a must in grad school, especially during the commencement ceremony. As an example, here was one of my colleague's names:

Sadatgoltabarestani, Seyedmehdi

Any takers on a first shot pronunciation?

Naga... Naga... Not gonna work here anymore!

 

[matt267 PE]

Sadatgoltabarestani

Is the "g" silent?