Why do this? Well, you may have noticed how often young people insert the word “bro” into the sentences they speak. It is used as an exclamation to convey surprise, frustration, or excitement. It’s used as a referent for a friend. Sometimes, it is haphazardly used when speaking to a teacher. Some students are surprised when they’re called out on it, not even knowing how frequently they say it.

In an educational setting, language ought to be more formalized. The Latin words that are the basis for our word “education” are educare and educere; to train up or to mold in the former instance and to lead out from in the latter. In both instances, we’re told that education is a movement from one thing to something else. Something higher, something better. It’s our role (school and parents working in tandem) to help move students up and out!

Those concerned with language and its abuse speak of precise language, but a reflexive and habitual default to “bro” is neither precise nor meaningful. In fact, it’s cliched, and while not necessarily sinful in itself, one might legitimately ask, “Is this all the more vocabulary I am capable of?” The answer is “No, this is not all you’re capable of.” But, we have to catch and break habits. That’s the goal of “No ‘Bro’ April.”