You are a Canadian high school English teacher. You just came back from a holiday in the USA.
In the news, there’s a mass murderer with a sniper in the USA (not in the city you visited). This killer killed 4 people and wounded 5 others before being stopped by the authorities.
In your morning class, somehow this topic was broached so you say to your students:
“It’s really sad. Sometimes people get angry and do evil things and innocent people end up getting hurt. I wish it didn’t happen; but I won’t pretend otherwise, I don’t want to shield you from the real world.”
One of the popular kids suddenly speaks up with a smile and says:
“Hey didn’t you just come back from America? He didn’t get you while you were there? DAMNNNNN...”
The other students laugh and some exchange high fives. Some students look at you uneasily, kind of smiling.
What do you do in response?
Options:
1. Let it slide. Carry on the lesson. It’s just a joke (albeit a very improper one).
2. Tell the student off sternly and explain why you think it’s a problem, then carry on
3. Go further and assign detention
4. Punish not just the one student, but everyone who laughed
5. Other
Assume that the student who made the joke is a bit of a mild troublemaker but not the type who deals drugs, vandalized things, or bullies others.
Please justify.