Western University students demand change after professor uses racial slur during lecture
Law students at Western University are demanding change after a professor used a racial slur during a lecture earlier this week.
During a first-year law lecture on Tuesday, a professor was explaining the specifics of a legal case that used the N word. While explaining the case to her students, the professor read the word aloud in its entirety.
According to Jaidyn McEwan, president of the Western Black Law Students Association, this was an upsetting event for students.
“So I found out through the first year students in the class there was you know, a lot of upset that happened from not only the Black law Students but all of the students involved," she says.
A recording of that part of the lecture was provided to CTV News London, as well with Dean of the Faculty of Law Erika Chamberlain, who also shared the students' concerns with the professor.
“The professor apologized to the class for what happened on Tuesday, and I also spoke to the class about my concerns and to share my support for them, and to commit to them that we are going to make things better,” she explains.
The Western Black Law Students Association released a statement to all faculty and students at the law school, and believe the administration is taking the situation seriously, but want to see better training for faculty and staff.
But for McEwan, there was no point in using the word and hopes the incident can be used as a learning opportunity.
“I think it's important for, you know, staff, faculty, students to know that in no circumstances is acceptable for a non-Black person to use that word, and that…it doesn't convey meaning and you know, to enhance the educational setting at all,” says McEwan.
The school says it wants to first ensure that the concerns of the students are addressed, and support students that are hurting through counselling, but also to take more steps in the future.
Chamberlain adds that everyone should, “Work together to have an action plan to make sure that our classrooms are safe. And respectful places for students to learn."
When asked if the professor would face and disciplinary action, the school told CTV News London the professor has apologized to the class and is taking steps to better educate herself about presenting sensitive material to the class.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
Attempt to have murder charge quashed against alleged serial killer dismissed by judge
A motion filed by the man accused of killing four Indigenous women in Winnipeg to have one of those murder charges quashed has been dismissed by the judge – weeks before the start of his trial.