"Dear Mama" in Class: Alabama Teacher Placed on Leave

In January 2018, Tupac’s music was played during class at Hoover High School in Alabama: students in a food and nutrition class had been listening to Dear Mama. Several students stated that their white teacher demanded that they turn off the “n-word music.” As Billboard reported, citing AL.com, the educator was placed on paid leave on January 22.

The Word Mentioned Does Not Appear in the Song at All

A video of the incident spread on Snapchat. At a school board meeting, the teacher apologized, but justified her words by explaining that the lyrics contained profanity. Billboard clarified that the song does not contain the word she mentioned.

“Dear Mama” is Tupac’s thank-you to his mother Afeni Shakur and is one of his best-known songs. Complex and The Source also reported on the case. The reviewed reports do not mention an outcome of the proceedings. The incident showed how Tupac’s music was still perceived in 2018.