…any time the word “bomb” comes up at all \u201d\u201d in a lesson on a war in history, in a novel in literature class \u201d\u201d kids start laughing and pointing at …[my nephew].<\/p>\n
It’s a problem that’s affecting his slang.<\/p>\n
“Everybody’s favorite phrase is ‘That’s the bomb.’ You know, like ‘That video game’s the bomb.’ But I can’t say that because kids will make fun of me.”<\/p>\n
What’s a parent to do?<\/p>\n
“Do the teachers know this is going on?” I asked.<\/p>\n
“Sure, they see it and they hear it. But they’d rather not get involved. Mostly, they just pretend that it’s not there.”<\/p>\n
“I’ve told him I can come to his school and talk to the principal, the teachers, the kids, whoever,” said his father, an immigrant from India who works as an engineer and moved to this particular suburb for the good schools and seeming openness to diversity.<\/p>\n
My nephew reacted like I would have when I was 14 \u201d\u201d as if he’d rather be run over by a truck than have his father come to school to talk about what a great religion Islam is….<\/p>\n