The Amazing Race Discussion

Nope, not the TV show. In case you've been hiding in a bomb shelter, race issues have covered the news like nothing I've seen since Anna Nicole Smith died...oh wait. First, Don Imus finally said something that offended enough people that his sponsors forced NBC & CBS to give him the boot. Now, we get a little taste of it in our own backyard:
The Benson Gazette, student newspaper at Omaha Public School's Benson High, published on article on the n-word, the derogatory term used to describe an African-American person. I've got no problem with that. It appears to be an informative article aimed at reducing the use of it at their school. Congrats to them and their sponsor for creating stories on societal issues. What a concept, I know. But, here's where it gets good: OPS puts the principal on administrative leave because they don't like it. Isn't the principal busy enough? Shouldn't editing the paper be one of the first things he/she delegates? If you're going to suspend someone, what about the sponsor? The kids? The principal probably doesn't even read the stupid paper! Regardless, I don't think anyone should be suspended. Don't stimulate their knowledge any more than you already do. And it still gets better: The Omaha World-Herald, in printing, on their front page, an excerpt from the Gazette story, don't censor the n-word. Like I couldn't figure it out?! If everyone is up in arms over the use of this word, why print it? I don't care what the Gazette did. I don't pay money to read the paper (nope, didn't even know that they had one until yesterday). You wonder why your reader numbers are down. What editor took the day off? Apparently the only one with common sense.
Kudos to the students and staff at Benson High. Thanks for stepping up to the plate to tackle a real-life issue. As for OPS and OWH...never mind. It's not even worth it.